Gone
by TheRealRenee
Summary: After six years, Adam has a surprise reunion and more. Lita/Edge, Trish/Christian, Hardys
1. Default Chapter

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~March 1998, Toronto, Canada~ 

They strolled together side-by-side, each consumed by their own individual thoughts. 

Although they'd only known one another for a short couple of months and their friendship was still so new, the silence between them was a comfortable one. She knew he must be excited, for this was the big break for which he'd been waiting. And even though they were going their separate ways - her heart breaking because of it - she was happy for him. He deserved it. He deserved all the success in the world. 

"What's your name in the WWF going to be again? I forgot..." she suddenly spoke. 

"Edge," he replied, arching a brow as he turned to gaze into her face. "Weird name, huh?" 

She shook her head, raising one hand to run her fingers through her long brown hair. 

"Actually, I like it." 

"You do?" 

"Yeah - it's cool and unique." She squinted at him before her eyes widened as they took in his handsome form with appreciation. "I think it suits you." A lovely grin spread across her face. 

"Hmm..." Now a grin came to *his* face, and he eyed the young woman with wonder. And shit... He was *really* going to miss her. While he was joining the World Wrestling Federation, she - another up and coming wrestler - was trekking down to Mexico. She was going there alone, she didn't speak Spanish, and he thought she was crazy - crazy and wonderful. And damn if he wasn't going to miss her something awful... He couldn't believe she was leaving tomorrow. If only there were more time. 

It wasn't fair... *Life* wasn't fair, she couldn't help but think. She knew what they both were embarking on were two great opportunities, but it all felt as though it were happening so quickly - *too* quickly. If only she'd trained more before, had honed her wrestling skills to the point that the WWF would have no choice but to hire her. She could have been going there with him. If only they had met earlier and had established a relationship long before he'd been accepted and hired by the prestigious company. 

There were about a half-million 'if onlys' that crossed her mind, but they were moot points. Things were the way they were, and they weren't going to change. 

Almost timidly, she cocked her head to one side to eye him and caught the young man gazing at her. She wondered what was going on in his mind. Then, as though reading her thoughts, he spoke. 

"Hey, how about we go out tonight, since it's your last night in town?" 

Despite the sadness that was plaguing her deep down, she smiled softly again. 

"Aww... I'd really like that," she said. 

"Good..." he said with a smile. "We'll paint the town red." He ran a hand through his long blond hair as the emotion took hold of him. Damn it, he was going to miss her so much. He couldn't imagine not seeing her regularly anymore after today, not seeing her beautiful face and smile, not hearing her voice and sweet laugh in person. They would keep in touch - at least that's what *he* hoped, but chances were they would slowly drift. And before too long, the phone calls, letters and emails would become less and less frequent... And she would forget all about him. It hurt like all bloody hell just to think of it. 

One thing was for certain - he was going to make the most of his last night with her... 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

~That Night~ 

They returned to the small apartment he was renting, both of them exhausted. Nonetheless, they'd had a fun evening of clubbing and drinking. He wasn't much of a drinker himself, but she had surprised him with the tequila - her beverage of choice. 

"Let me get you some coffee..." he insisted. She wasn't completely drunk or anything, but she looked sleepy enough that she could use some. 

"Nah... Thanks, I'm okay," she replied, a soft smile on her face. 

The young man studied her for a beat. Maybe she could just come in for awhile and then he could take her home. But damn it, he didn't want her to go... 

They stared at each other in silence for a moment before she ducked her head. She fought back the tears she felt threatening her, then sniffled and met his eyes again. She blinked at what she saw in them. 

Then, before she could utter a single word, the blond man surprised the hell out of her - he kissed her. 

She found herself responding immediately, her arms going up and around his neck, a soft gasp escaping her as she felt his tongue brush against hers. His hands tangled into her hair as he groaned into her mouth. 

Reluctantly, he broke the kiss, his arms still around her waist as she stared into his handsome face with shock. 

"Don't go... Stay with me tonight...?" 

His words were a cross between a statement and a request, but she didn't have the heart to deny him. Eagerly, she inched toward the open door, pulling him inside with her, and they kissed again as he kicked the door shut. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

She awoke at daybreak, her eyes fluttering open slowly as she realized she was not alone. Then it all came back - she'd stayed here, spent the night with him. They'd made love... 

She could hardly believe it. Although she didn't regret the night of passion they'd shared, it tore her heart to pieces that nothing more could ever come of it. She was leaving today, and she might not ever see him again. 

Tears blurred her vision as she gently untangled herself from his embrace and rose, nude, from the bed. She located all of her garments on the floor and began to quickly dress, her gaze never leaving him. He was sound asleep, golden hair fanned out on the pillow. 

She had to get out of here now, while he was still asleep, or else she would *never* leave. But there was one thing she needed to do first... 

Somehow, she managed to keep her sobs silent as she reached into her purse for the pen and small sheet of folded paper. 

Then, slowly, the tears nearly obliterating her vision, she quickly began to write him a goodbye note.   
  
  
  


Part 2 

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	2. Chapter 2

March 2004 

"We still going out after the show?" 

"Yeah," Adam Copeland said as he retrieved his bag from his locker. "Us, Chris, and the Hardys." 

Jay Reso stepped up to his own locker for his stuff, his short blond hair still damp from his recent shower. 

"I don't know, man... I thought Matt was bringing his girlfriend here tonight..." 

"Oh, that's right," the taller blond man said. "He'll be a little busy entertaining her, I guess. So maybe it'll just be four of us tonight." He wondered about the woman their friend had been boasting about for the longest time. From what he knew of her, she was beautiful and had red hair, and, ironically enough, she'd planned on becoming a professional wrestler at one time - but her plans had been stilled by the fact that she'd become pregnant just as she'd been starting. Besides that, the only other thing he knew about her was her name - Amy... 

Amy... The blond man recalled his own Amy. She'd been so long ago, six years removed from his life. It had hurt him so badly that morning when he'd awoken to find her gone... Gone from his bed, gone from his house, and, sadly, gone from his life. 

He'd turned around to find the farewell note she'd left him. As he'd read it, he'd felt the tears coming. They'd splashed down on the paper, obliterating a couple of words she'd written in her neat print. 

Although he'd known she was leaving for Mexico that very day, she'd nonetheless broken his heart. And Adam had never been quite the same since. Why couldn't she have stayed till that morning? After their passion-filled night, he'd wanted to awaken to feel her in his arms, open his heart and tell her how he truly felt. But he hadn't had that chance, and to this day, six years later, no other woman he'd met could ever measure up to her. She was special - one in a million. He knew he'd never find another like her, never feel so intensely about another girl... 

"Hey..." Jay's voice suddenly permeated his memories and melancholy thoughts. "Are you okay, man?" 

Adam turned to eye his best friend. 

"Huh?" 

"You seem to have spaced out there," the shorter man pointed out. "You okay?" 

The tall blond Canadian nodded, then raked a hand through his long hair. 

"Yeah... Just peachy." 

Jay arched an eyebrow at that remark, but he didn't press him on it. 

Adam felt a hollowness, an unpleasant emptiness inside of him as he realized it had been just about six years ago that she'd left... Well, it would be exactly six years in another four days... 

He looked up as a knock suddenly sounded at the door. 

"I'll get it," Jay offered. 

"Hey," he heard Matt Hardy's voice speaking, his tone warm and friendly. "Guys, I'd like you to meet Amy." 

The tall blond man heard his best friend greet the woman hello, but he kept his head turned. He was in no mood for niceties, or to meet anyone - even if he was being rude. 

Then, the oddest thing took place. Adam suddenly realized, as Matt's girlfriend spoke to Jay - he recognized that voice! Slowly, he turned his head in the right direction, his green eyes widening, jaw dropping as he drank in the sight of her. 

He was speechless... Struck totally speechless, as his mouth ran dry. God, it couldn't be possible... And then... 

"Adam?" The beautiful redhead cocked her head to one side as she studied him. "Oh, my God..." 

"The tall blond man rose from his seat, his gaze glued to her. He could not believe his eyes and wondered if he was in fact asleep and this was merely a dream. 

"My God, it is you, Adam..." she breathed, her hands going up to her face in her shock. Her hazel eyes were bright and sparkling as she stared at him. 

"Amy..."   
  
  
  


Part 3 

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	3. Chapter 3

Matt and Jay looked from Adam to Amy, both terribly confused. 

"Okay, let me get this straight," the elder Hardy brother said, doing the honors to speak first. "You two know each other?" 

"Yeah," the blond man said, nodding, his gaze never leaving the redhead. "Yeah, you can say that." 

Amy blinked, her heart hammering like a kettle drum as she somehow managed to tear her eyes from Adam and direct them toward Matt. 

"Yeah... Adam and I were friends once upon a time ago." 

The tall Canadian blinked as he absorbed her words. Somehow, he managed not to outwardly wince. Her words, however, stung like a knife to his heart. Although it was true that they had indeed been friends and never really anything more, in his mind he liked to think they'd meant a whole hell lot more to each other than that. Also, obviously, in her quick response to Matt's question, Amy didn't want anyone to know about their one and only night of passion. Well, if that was what she wanted, he would grant her her wish. He wouldn't open his mouth about it. 

"Right, Adam?" 

The blond man simply stared into the young woman's hazel eyes silently for a beat. The pleading in those orbs was not lost on him. Slowly, he nodded. 

"Yeah... We were friends." 

Adam swallowed hard and looked down at the floor for a moment before raising his head again. He caught the blue eyes of Jay, a slightly quizzical expression on his best friend's face. Uh oh... The short-haired blond man was damn perceptive, at least where he was concerned. They'd been best friends for so damn long - for twenty-one of their thirty years, to be exact. Just by that look on Jay's face, Adam knew without a doubt he'd have some questions to answer later on. 

Before anyone could say anything more on the subject, the locker room door was pushed open, and to Adam's surprise, the person who rain in to join them was not a fellow wrestler. Likewise, it was not a stagehand, or a suit, either. Instead, it was a little girl. Said little girl sidled up shyly to Amy and tugged on the redhead's hand. 

"Mommy, I can't find Uncle Jeff! Help me!" 

Amy seemed almost startled as the child, obviously her daughter, held onto her left hand. 

The tall blond man was so dumbstruck as his gaze remained fixed on the little girl. A beautiful child, Amy's daughter had long honey-blonde hair and bright eyes that seemed to be carbon copies of those of her mother's. But he was in shock... He never would have guessed she would have any children. He wondered if she had any more. 

"Mandy, you know Jeff is good at hide and seek," the redhead said as she stooped over to meet the little girl at eye-level. "But honey, I can't help you find him right now. Mommy's busy." Amy's eyes darted around nervously, and they briefly met with Adam's green but she quickly averted her gaze. Then, recovering herself, she said, "Adam, Jay - this is Amanda... my daughter." She swallowed hard and avoided the taller man's gaze again. 

"Well, hello, Amanda," the shorter Canadian said as he knelt down to the girl's level. He put out his hand to shake the child's much smaller one. "My name is Jay. How old are you?" 

Mandy appeared shy as she shuffled her little feet and looked up at her mother for a moment. Then, offering Jay a shy smile, she spoke. 

"Six." 

Adam blinked rapidly as he eyed little Mandy and Amy. They definitely looked like mother and daughter, but he was still taken aback that the young woman had a child. He too knelt down before Amanda. 

"Hi there... My name is Adam." 

"My name is Amanda - I'm six," the little girl said. She offered him a sweet smile, and the tall blond man felt as though this child had just captured his heart. She was too adorable. 

While he was interacting with Mandy, Adam failed to note the mixed anxiety and emotion on Amy Dumas' face.   
  
  
  


Part 4 

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	4. Chapter 4

A myriad of emotions washed over Amy as she strode down the hallway in search of the ladies room. 

She'd had to get out of that locker room. God, she felt as though she might actually faint, or at the very least, break down and cry right there, in front of them... In front of him. 

Of course, Adam had no idea... It made her feel like a complete heel, and a coward. If only she hadn't been going off to Mexico all those years ago. If only things had been different. 

Finally locating a women's restroom, the redhead breathed a sigh of relief and pushed her way inside. 

"Oh!" 

The exclamation came from a short blonde with whom she'd collided. 

"I'm so sorry... I wasn't looking where I was going," Amy apologized. God, she really oughta get hold of herself. 

"It's okay... I'm sorry, too," the woman said with a slight smile. 

Amy continued to merely stand in the doorway, one hand raising to her brow as she continued to feel overwhelmed. 

"Hey, are you all right?" 

"I... yeah, I think so," the redhead replied. "I think I just need some water - and probably some air." 

The blonde went back into the restroom with her, leading her to the twin sinks against one wall. She went to retrieve a couple of paper towels from the dispenser, handing them to the other woman, who, by now, had the cold water running. 

"I'm Trish," the petite woman said with a friendly smile. "Trish Stratus. I haven't seen you around before..." 

"Oh, of course - Trish," the redhead spoke. "I've heard about you." As the blonde arched an eyebrow in confusion, she elaborated. "My name's Amy - Amy Dumas. I'm Matt Hardy's girlfriend." 

"Oh, yeah," Trish said, her face brightening. "I've heard a little of you. It's so nice to finally meet you." 

"Likewise," the taller woman said, reaching out her hand to shake with the pretty WWE diva. 

"Weren't you a wrestler at one time yourself?" 

"That I was," Amy replied with a nod, and she blotted at her face with a wet paper towel. She was suddenly feeling a bit more relaxed after meeting Trish Stratus. "I had to give it up when I found out I was going to be a mother." 

Trish arched a brow. 

"Hmm... I don't remember Matt mentioning a child. Boy or girl?" 

"Girl," Amy replied, a soft smile on her face. "Her name is Amanda. She's with Matt, Adam and Jay, and you can meet her if you like." 

"I'd really like that," the blonde diva said with a smile. She'd just met this woman, but she definitely liked her. She wondered, however, why Amy Dumas had looked so... scared when she'd first seen her, as though she were about to faint or something. And although she'd smiled when she first mentioned her daughter, the happy expression on her face had waned considerably when she'd mentioned the names of the people the child was currently with. 

Trish figured either she'd find out the answers sooner or later. But for now, she smiled as she made her way out of the bathroom and down the hall with the other woman.   
  
  
  


Part 5 

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	5. Chapter 5

April 1998

She felt horrible... And the feeling was both emotional as well as physical...

Amy had been in Mexico for three weeks already and felt like hell.

While she was enjoying the experience of being with the luchadors, absorbing their wrestling skills and culture alike, she felt depressed. She missed Adam terribly, especially after the sole night they'd shared before she'd come here.

On top of that, she'd just begun to feel sick to her stomach. The last couple of days, she'd awoken feeling incredibly nauseous. And then, this morning, she'd thrown up her breakfast. Now, she was also a bit light-headed and dizzy, not to mention quite sleepy.

It was odd... She knew better than to drink the water here and had been consuming only bottled. She'd brought plenty of Poland Spring here with her. Maybe she'd gotten food poisoning?

'No,' she thought. That couldn't be it, either, as she knew she would be sick constantly if bad food was the culprit. Besides, her being so tired, even after a full eight hours of sleep, was just weird.

Oh, my God... A cold fear suddenly gripped her as she considered a new possibility. She felt faint as the idea struck her.

That night, a couple of weeks back... Before she had left for Mexico... They hadn't used any protection. Oh, God... As far as she'd known, during that time, she hadn't been ovulating or anything, so she'd thought it would be safe.

But had it been?

Amy let out a deep breath, her heart hammering like a kettle drum inside her chest. She honestly didn't know the answer to that question. And that completely terrified her. But the one thing she did know was that, without question, she had to go see a doctor, and as soon as possible.

She had no clue as to what she was going to do if it turned out she was pregnant.

He let out a resigned sigh, then reached up to rake a hand through his long blond hair.

Adam was in Ocala, Florida, at the Funking Conservatory, where the WWF had sent him to hone his in-ring skills. He would remain here for the next two months until finally debuting with the company officially.

He only wished he were able to truly concentrate on his training. However, instead, his mind was on her.

He'd been unable to stop thinking about her ever since that night. God damn it, why hadn't she at least stayed long enough so that they could have woken up together? He'd been consumed by these bittersweet thoughts for the last three weeks, but it wasn't getting any easier.

Not for the first time, he imagined what it would have been like to awaken with Amy in his arms - she being the first beautiful sight he'd see that morning.

Shit... How badly he wanted that morning back. Hell, he wished he could get that night back as well. Maybe if he'd told her how he truly felt... He could only wonder what she would have said, how she would have responded to those three little words...

"Hey, kid..." Adam looked up at the sound of Dory Funk's voice. "... you all right?"

The young man nodded, his mouth dry. Again, he ran his hands through his hair, feeling somewhat mortified. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to himself when he was like this.

"Yes, sir... I'm fine. Sorry."

Part 6

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	6. Chapter 6

One week later 

Amy sat alone in the catering room at the arena, thankful for some private time with her thoughts. She only hoped no one would come in and disturb her - or worse yet, question her. 

She twined a lock of red hair through the fingers of her left hand, recalling Mandy and Adam meeting for the first time. It had been enough to bring her to tears - to downright bawl, actually. Thank goodness she'd been able to hold it all in until late that night, back at the hotel. Matt had been sound asleep and had been for at least a solid hour. When she'd felt she couldn't take it anymore, she'd gotten up and padded to the bathroom, locking herself in, sitting down on the floor and crying. 

She'd spent a good deal of time in there as she'd wept, remembering - and regretting. She'd always wondered what would have happened if she'd contacted him, told him... 

Suddenly, the sound of someone entering the room startled her, and she straightened up, doing her best not to look so pensive. Her gaze softened as she saw it was Adam walking into the room. Yet, at the same time, she was nervous and scared to face him. 

"Hi..." he said as he stood over her, his green eyes fixed to her hazel. He was still in shock that she was here. 

"Hi." She bit her lip, knowing full well she was too obvious with her nervous gestures. 

"You know," the tall blond man said as he pulled up a chair to sit across from her, "since you've been here, we've never actually gotten a chance to talk - catch up." 

The redhead's eyes widened for the tiniest of split seconds. Then, regaining her composure, she smiled. 

"You're right... How have you been all these years?" 

He ran a hand through his long hair, hesitant to tell her the truth. It wasn't that he blamed her, but he knew the reason he'd been unable to sustain any meaningful relationship with a woman in the last six years was because of her. 

"I've been okay," he finally answered, his gaze to the floor before he trained it back on her. "I've had a pretty successful career, a lot of great friends..." 

Amy nodded, her heart pounding as she wondered about another aspect of his life. She also wondered if it were a coincidence he'd deliberately omitted the information about it. She bit her lip nervously, the idea of it almost nauseating to her. Nevertheless, she posed the question. 

"So... What about someone special? Is there any special lady in your life, Adam?" 

The tall blond man felt a twinge at her question. He'd always wanted her to play that role. 

"Um... To be honest, no," he replied, meeting her eyes squarely. "I'm not seeing anyone. It's been awhile, actually." 

The redhead bit her lip against, a slightly different emotion coursing through her this time. There was just something about the way he'd said that, something about the way he was looking at her, that just made her want to hold him. There seemed to be a vulnerability and melancholy about him she'd not seen six years earlier. And the way he was looking at her... It felt as though he were peering into the very depths of her soul. 

Amy snapped back to reality. What the hell was wrong with her? Why would Adam feel the same way toward her after all these years? They hadn't seen each other or even so much as written in all this time. Besides, she had a boyfriend in Matt. But... Why had she felt as though she'd just settled for him all these years? 

After another moment of silence between them, she knew she had to get away. She stood abruptly, pushing her chair back, and the blond man stood up with her in a gentlemanly gesture. 

"Excuse me, Adam..." 

Then, before he could question her, the redhead bounded from the room. She raced down the hallway and didn't stop until she reached the ladies room - where she locked herself into a stall and silently wept her heart out.

Part 7

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	7. Chapter 7

Adam was distracted by his thoughts as he got dressed for his upcoming match for the night. He couldn't rid his mind of the memories - the ones from six years earlier as well as from mere days ago. 

Matt Hardy's voice suddenly issuing in his and Jay's locker room cut through, and the tall blond man looked up, startled. He'd been so absorbed he hadn't even realized Jay had opened the door - or that anyone had even knocked, for that matter. 

"Guess what? I got great news!" the dark-haired man said excitedly. Then, as the two blond Canadians eyed him expectantly, he continued. "Amy just signed a contract with the WWE! She's gonna be a diva!" 

Adam nearly flinched at his friend's words, but the gesture went unnoticed by both Matt and Jay. 

"That's great, Matt!" the shorter blond man was saying. "She's really cool, and I can't wait to see her ring work." 

All Adam could think was that now he'd have to deal with seeing the redhead all the time - now that she was with Matt and therefore unavailable, it would be too painful for him. 

As much as it tore at his heart, the blond man knew he was still in love with Amy. Despite the number of years that had passed where they hadn't seen one another, despite the fact that she had a child with another man, he still loved her. 

Amanda... Thoughts of the little girl brought a smile to his lips and made him momentarily forget his heartbreak. She was one adorable kid. One thing was for sure - she looked absolutely nothing like Matt. Yet, little Mandy called the elder Hardy brother 'Daddy,' and he now knew Amy had been with Matt for a few years... 

"Adam?" 

The tall blond man looked up, his reverie broken, at the sound of Matt's voice. 

"Huh? Oh, sorry," he stammered, running a hand quickly through his long hair. He'd really zoned out there, and he was embarrassed. 

"Are you gonna come with us tomorrow?" his friend repeated, and when Adam gave him a questioning look, Matt sighed and continued. "Tomorrow morning, a few of us are gonna go to the arena to train. Amy's first match in the company is gonna be a dark match for SmackDown, and I wanna be able to prepare her for it." 

"Oh..." The Canadian nodded absently, his mind focused on the beautiful redhead. He wondered if he would get to help her prepare as well. "Sure... yeah, sure, I'll be there." 

"Cool." After awhile, Matt said he had to return to his locker room, as he and Jeff would be having their match soon. 

"What is with you?" 

"What?" Adam turned his head sharply to face Jay, the short-haired man's question coming the moment the Hardy Boy had left. 

"You just seem to get spaced out or something lately," the blond man elaborated. "And now that I think about it, that always seems to happen whenever someone mentions Amy - or whenever she's around." He cocked his head as he regarded his best friend speculatively. 

Adam's heart nearly stopped, and he knew Jay had some ideas about him and the redhead swirling through that head of his. His friend was just too damn sharp for his own good - much to his chagrin. He steeled himself for the third degree he knew was coming. 

"Why is that, Adam?" 

The taller man somehow managed to meet Jay's eyes squarely. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." 

"C'mon - we both know that's a lie. What happened between you and her way back when?" the smaller Canadian pressed. There was a gleam of great interest in his blue eyes. 

Adam swallowed hard, hating that he suddenly felt faint. If he told Jay the truth, would he promise to keep it quiet from Matt? He hoped so. 

Clearing his throat, he began to explain.

Part 8

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	8. Chapter 8

"You slept with Matt's girlfriend?!" 

Jay's jaw dropped in shock as he stared at his best friend. 

"Jeez! Keep your voice down!" Adam exclaimed in annoyance. What if Matt came back or someone out in the hall heard what Jay had just said? He knew for sure that he didn't want to cause any trouble - for anyone. 

"Sorry, man... but..." The short-haired blond man put his hands up in an almost shrugging gesture. "I need details!" 

"No, you don't," Adam snapped irritably. "All there is to tell is that she and I were friends back before I was in the WWE. We hung out a lot, we trained once in awhile, and-" 

"Hold on," the other man interjected. "You guys trained together? You always trained with me. How is it I never met her back then?" 

The tall blond man sighed and ran a hand through his long hair. 

"Does it really matter?" 

"Well, no," Jay replied. "But it's curious." He gave his best friend an odd look. Then, "So, you were saying?" 

"Yeah... Well, she was leaving for Mexico right before I was heading to the WWE. And..." Adam felt a mixture of warmth and sadness over the bittersweet memory. "We went out the night before she left, and we ended up having sex..." 

"Yeah?" Jay's blue eyes grew wider with interest, a smile spreading across his face. 

"That's all, Jay," the tall blond man said, annoyed at his friend's obvious enjoyment over dishing out the dirt of his life. "Oh, except for the fact that she was gone when I woke up the next morning." 

"Gone? You mean she didn't stay all night?" 

"That's exactly what I mean," Adam answered. It hurt him just remembering this, and even more so in actually speaking about it. "All that was left of her when I woke up was a note she left me." 

"Ouch..." Jay said. "Then again, at least she left you a note." Then, perking up a bit more, "Did she tell you how good you were in it?" 

"Jay!" 

The short-haired man let out a fit of almost cackling laughter, throwing his head back as he clapped at his own remark. Adam, on the other hand, was not amused in the least. Of course, it was obvious his best friend had no clue what kind of effect Amy leaving him like that had had on him. 

"Actually," the tall blond man said, "I know I never introduced you to Amy, but I did mention hr to you." 

"You did?" 

Adam nodded. 

"Yeah, I know I did. You just probably never remembered because the details weren't juicy enough for you." 

"This could be true," the shorter man said. "Because I know you never told me about sleeping with someone like her." 

"Look, Jay," the tall Canadian said, his eyes serious as they fixed on his best friend's face. "You can't ever say a word of this to Matt... or Amy... or anyone." 

Jay again gave Adam a strange look but nodded. He could see his friend was dead serious. 

"Okay... Okay, you win. My lips are sealed."

Part 9

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	9. Chapter 9

He stood by in a corridor, his gaze gentle as he watched her. 

As the little girl approached, a soft smile took form on his face. 

Adam felt a little strange, as though he were spying on Amy. The redhead was standing near the back entrance of the arena, happily awaiting Amanda. The little blonde girl was accompanied by a woman he guessed to be her nanny. And then, as the little girl bid the woman goodbye, she turned and ran straight to her mother. 

"Mommy!" 

Amy knelt down and gathered Mandy into her arms, hugging the child close against her. One of her hands came up to stroke the soft, fine blonde hair, and Adam found it sweet when the redhead planted a hearty kiss on her daughter's cheek. It warmed his heart and reminded him of how much he wanted children of his own someday. 

"I missed you!" she said with a chuckle. "How are you, honey?" 

"Good, Mommy! I drew you a picture!" 

"Oh, I can't wait to see it, do-" 

Amy stopped speaking abruptly as she straightened up and turned around to see Adam standing just beyond. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized he'd been silently watching them. 

"Hi." 

"Hi." The tall blond man smiled, trying not to display his nerves at being found out. He'd meant to be discreet. His grin widened as he knelt down so that he was eye-level with Mandy. "Hey, blondie..." He gave the little girl a wink. She hadn't been around all week due to the fact that the child had been home for school. From what he understood, she would spend the weekdays at home and weekends with Amy and Matt. 

Amanda shuffled her feet a little, her gaze on his face. She was shy and silent for a moment but then brightened and spoke. 

"You're blond, too!" The girl reached out and grabbed a lock of Adam's long hair, as though to show him that fact. 

The tall Canadian chuckled. 

"Yup, I am... We rule, don't we?" His green eyes were bright and merry as he joked with the child. 

Mandy nodded and laughed. 

Amy swallowed hard, her eyes blinking rapidly as she gazed down at the two of them. She didn't know how long she could keep her emotions in check. 

Adam straightened up and met the young woman's eyes. 

"Of course, your Mommy rules, too," he said softly. "Even if her hair is red." His gaze softened as it remained fixed to her hazel eyes. 

Amy's heart was hammering in her chest at the intensity of his gaze upon her. She had to mentally forced herself to breathe, lest she start hyperventilating. And a positive awareness struck her. Without a doubt, and despite all the years that had passed between them, she was still in love with Adam. Never in the last five and a half years had she ever felt even remotely as deeply for Matt. These last few years, she'd been living in a haze, pretty much as a shadow of herself ever since separating from the blond man years ago. She'd felt like only half a person not being with Adam. But she had Amanda... Mandy had kept her sane these last few years. 

Now, if she could only work up the courage to tell him... 

"So, I hear you're the newest addition to the WWE..." 

The redhead snapped back to reality. She'd felt in a daze, lost in his deep pools of green. 

"Yeah... So, it looks like you'll be seeing a lot more of me." She smiled. 

The blond man cocked his head as he continued to gaze intently at her. Despite his initial reservations when he'd originally heard of her being hired, something ticked inside of him. He was happy he would be seeing her - and little Mandy, who'd already captured his heart - on a regular basis.

Part 10

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	10. Chapter 10

March 1998 

As she and Adam resumed their kissing, it all very much felt like a dream to Amy. 

It all felt so surreal. She'd been harboring feelings for the blond man for as long as she'd known him, as long as they'd been friends. She'd long dreamt about what it would be like to kiss his sensuous lips - it was a little hard to believe she was actually doing that. 

A sigh escaped her as, a moment later, the tall blond man swept her up in his arms, his lips still demanding and claiming hers as he carried her through the room and to the bedroom. Expertly, knowing every niche of the apartment, he'd avoided walls and furniture, not bumping into anything. 

As he pulled back slowly, hesitantly, his lips still lingering mere inches from hers, Amy opened her eyes, her heart in them as she gazed at him. His own green ones were slightly glazed over in passion, and she reached for him again, the blond man instantly going for the hem of her shirt. 

No words were spoken - or needed - as the brunette raised her arms, allowing him to rid her of the garment. Her hands were nearly shaking as they flew to the waistband of his black jeans, the large bulge pressing against the zipper not lost on her. Her breath caught in her throat as she undid the jeans, and then the rest of their clothing just seemed to melt away. 

The next thing she knew, they were in one another's arms again, pressed flesh-to-flesh, and this time, his kisses were even more demanding. His hands and their caresses set her afire, and she gulped as she felt his hardness prodding at her. She pressed herself more firmly against him, lowering her right hand as they kissed, to grasp his erection, testing the shape, length and hardness of it. 

Amy did this for a moment or two, her excitement growing, but Adam couldn't take it anymore - a few more minutes of her hand stroking at him like this and he was going to come. He wanted more than anything to be inside of her. 

In one swift move, he swept her up in his arms again, his lips hungrily pressing against hers, he carried her directly to the bed. When they broke the searing kiss, he lowered her on her back upon it, hungrily drinking in her delectable, seductive body. God, she was beautiful. 

She held her arms outstretched to him, welcoming and beckoning to him, and he went to her, his mouth instantly on hers again. She eagerly spread her shapely legs, and he got between them, hovering just over her as he deepened the kiss. 

Amy tangled her fingers in Adam's long blond hair, holding his head tautly in place as the kiss went on and on. If anything, this one was even more intense than their prior kisses. And oh, God... She felt the heat of his erection pressed against her belly. She wanted him. She wanted to feel him inside of her more than anything. She squirmed beneath him, a muffled moan escaping her, and the blond man seemed to get the message. 

He plunged into her, and she threw her head back at the sensation as he started off with slow, gentle thrusts. He was rock-hard, and it nearly took her breath away. It took but a moment for her to adjust to his size, and then she directed him, and he increased the pace. 

Adam slammed into her, the sensations shooting through him almost too much to bear. He wanted - needed - her to come in the worst way. And then he felt Amy's hips rocking as well as she met each one of his thrusts. She was close - he knew it. He felt her inner muscles gripping him like a vise, and it felt like heaven. 

The brunette let out a sharp cry as she suddenly reached that delicious peak, her breath nearly lost. 

"Oh, God! Adam... Adam!" 

That was enough for him - seeing her lovely face in ecstasy, the sounds of pleasure issuing from her... And then, it hit him hard, and he experienced the most intense orgasm of his life as he emptied himself into her. 

Afterward, they were both slicked with sweat, breathing heavily as he lay back. He held her in his arms, a feeling of incredible peace coming over him. 

In moments, they were both asleep.

Part 11

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	11. Chapter 11

Adam entered the hotel cafe alone, his mind set on a huge, delicious breakfast. 

As the blond man crossed the threshold, he caught sight of the redhead sitting at a table. She was alone, and he arched a brow in surprise. Then, instead of waiting to be seated, he made his way to her. 

"Amy?" 

The young woman looked up at him, her arms hugged around herself as though she were chilly. 

"Adam... Hi." She managed a tiny smile. 

"Morning... I'm surprised to see you here all by yourself," he said. He couldn't help but wonder where Matt was. 

"Why don't you come join me...?" she suggested, her hazel eyes fixing on his green. 

Adam glanced around uncomfortably. 

"Do you think Matt would mind?" 

"No," she said, shaking her head. "Besides, we had a bit of a fight. I needed some time away from him." She casually focused on the glass of water in front of her and took a few sips. 

"Oh..." The tall blond man's gaze remained fixed to her as he seated himself across from her. "Sorry to hear that." 

"Don't be," she protested, raising a hand as though to ward off his words. Thing were tense lately between Matt and herself, and, as she looked up and met Adam's green eyes, she knew the reason behind it... 

She wasn't in love with Matt and never had been. The man sitting across from her now was a vivid reminder of that fact. 

Adam nodded, not wanting to continue. It wasn't as though he enjoyed Amy and Matt getting along, anyway. On one hand, he felt guilty because he truly wanted the redhead to be happy - her and little Mandy. 

A waitress came over to quickly take Adam's order, and after, the blond man again faced the young woman. 

"Well... what's your agenda for today?" 

Amy sighed. 

"My first match is happening tonight," she reminded him. "So I think I should do a little training for awhile today." 

"Not a bad idea." Adam looked up and moved his arms away so the waitress could place the plate of his breakfast on the table. He dug into his eggs benedict and was thoughtful for a moment. Then, after swallowing, he spoke again. "I have some free time today - if you want, I can help you with your training." 

The redhead looked up, cocking her head to the side as she regarded him. Old times flashed through her mind and she recalled having trained with him over six years earlier. 

"Sure," she answered with a small nod. "I think I'd like that, Adam." 

The tall blond man was silent and thoughtful for another moment as he sipped at his coffee. He couldn't help thinking of Amanda, who was again back home for her week of school. She would be back on Friday early evening. 

"Amy, you know," he began, pushing his food around the plate with his fork. "Don't get offended by me saying this, but... Well, I've noticed Mandy bears no resemblance to Matt..." 

The redhead raised her gaze to his green eyes, her heart thumping hard. In fact, she suddenly felt faint. Oh, God... Was this it? She swallowed hard before speaking. 

"Well... that's because Matt is not her father." 

"He's not?" 

She shook her head, her gaze falling to the cup of tea in front of her. 

"I met Matt and started seeing him when Mandy was almost a year old." 

Adam frowned, templing his hands beneath his chin as he gazed into her face. 

"Where's her father, then?" 

Amy felt even more faint, but somehow, she managed to meet his eyes. 

"He... He hasn't been around," she replied vaguely. She hated herself at that very moment, felt like the worst person alive, swallowed hard again, this time noting the lump in her throat. 

"Ahh... I know all about that," the blond man revealed, his expression growing sad. 

"What... what do you mean?" Amy asked as she perked up a bit. 

"My father was never in my life, either... In fact, I never even knew him."

Part 12

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	12. Chapter 12

Amy was silent and feeling a bit sorrowful as she stood in the ring beside Adam. She couldn't rid their conversation from during breakfast from her mind. 

His words reverberated in her head over and over again, making her feel simply awful. 

'My father was never in my life, either... In fact, I never even knew him...' 

She gazed up at him, into his brilliant emerald-green eyes and felt so horribly guilty. And she guessed that, given his own history with his father, he would never forgive her if she told him the truth now. It was horrible - he had a right to know, and so did Mandy. But, now that Adam was once again a part of her life, she couldn't bear the thought of losing him again. 

"So, that's the basic rule to remember in the ring, and... Hey, are you okay?" 

The redhead blinked, her eyes meeting his again. She had been so distracted by her upsetting realizations and thoughts that she hadn't even heard a word he'd said. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." 

The tall blond man looked unconvinced, and an expression of concern crossed his handsome features. He cocked his head as he examined her face. 

"Hey..." He reached out with his right hand, tipping up her suddenly downcast head so that she had no choice but to look up into his eyes. She visibly shivered under his touch and scrutinizing gaze. And ever so slightly, he seemed to be moving closer to her, his face especially near. She held her breath at such closeness, wondered how it was she'd ever managed these last six years without him in her life. 

Quickly, fleetingly, she wondered what it would be like if she just kissed him. Just one more kiss, one last kiss that would stay with her for the rest of her days. 

Adam was gazing down into her deep hazel eyes, and he was actually aware of the fact that his hand was still touching her face. He held his breath for a beat as he moved his hand just inches higher, the pad of his thumb gently brushing over her cheek. And then... 

What the hell was he thinking? He wanted to kiss her and she was his friend's girlfriend. Regardless of the fact that Amy and Matt had had a fight, the redhead was still with Matt. What the hell was wrong with him? 

"So..." he said, pulling back reluctantly. Despite himself, the Canadian still wanted, in the worst way, to kiss her. "Show me some of the moves you want to use in your match tonight." 

Amy felt as though she'd been punched in the stomach. It hurt, and she didn't know why. She hadn't exactly expected him to kiss her, but she'd wanted him to. Why hadn't she just taken the chance and kissed him? 

"Um... okay," she said softly, praying she wouldn't completely fall apart. If he only knew the effect he was having on her... 

She resumed her training, Adam serving as a willing body to take any maneuver she wished to throw at him. 

He was impressed by her arsenal of high-flying moves. She perched on the top turnbuckle, and he stood there for her, taking the hurricanrana she delivered. He took a DDT and laid there in preparation for her finishing maneuver - a moonsault. 

"Wow..." the tall blond man said, nearly out of breath as he got to his feet after it was over. "I'm really impressed. We never had any women who could wrestle like you!" 

The redhead laughed softly, her heart fluttering at the compliment. He really meant it, too - he wasn't just humoring her. And she valued his opinion more than anyone else's. 

Part 13

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	13. Chapter 13

Jeff Hardy sat in the locker room, thoughtful as he chewed the inside of his cheek as he eyed the television monitor. 

He'd just watched Amy's match - her first in the WWE. It had been against Nidia and had gone very well, ending with the redhead scoring the victory with a moonsault. 

The young, colorful-haired man sat silently, distracted by the odd thoughts harassing his brain. He wondered why he wasn't able to rid himself of them. 

A sudden knock on the door startled him back to reality, and he looked up. 

"It's open!" he called. In walked his friend Jay and Trish, the two holding hands. He gave them a short nod as his gaze returned to the monitor. 

"Hey, man... What's up?" 

"Just saw Ames' match." 

"Us too," Trish said with a smile. "Looks like I'm going to have some tough competition now, huh?" 

"Looks like," the short-haired blond man teased, and he received a small hand whacking him in the stomach for his troubles. "Ow!" He put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay - I know when to accept defeat. Anyway, I gotta get ready for my match, so I'll see you later, okay?" 

Jeff nodded a response, as he was still distracted by his perturbing thoughts. Trish and Jay exchanged a quick kiss before the blond man left. 

"Hey," the pretty diva said as she came over to sit by the young man. "What's wrong?" Jeff looked so pensive, she found herself frowning with concern. 

The Hardy Boy glanced up and toward the door, nervous although Matt had been out of the room for awhile. How could he even begin to explain what was going on in his head? It was just insane when he thought about it. Yet... it wasn't. 

"I was just thinkin'," he said vaguely, running a hand through his rainbow locks. 

"Well, I know that," Trish said. "But why do you look so glum?" 

"I'm not exactly 'glum,'" Jeff told her as he eyed her seriously. "More like confused." 

"Okay... so why are you confused?" 

The man looked up and briefly met the blonde's eyes, his expression still more serious. 

"Well... actually, it has to do with Amanda..." 

Trish arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow. 

"You mean Amy's daughter?" 

"Yeah," he replied with a nod. "Mandy... I've been noticing something lately - about her. Something very strange, but..." He shook his head again. "It's crazy!" 

"What? Come on, Jeff, you're starting to worry me." 

The younger Hardy brother cast a quick glance back toward the door before meeting the diva's brown eyes again. 

"Okay, well... you know Matt's not really her father and I'm not really her uncle..." 

"Uh hmm..." 

"Well, I've been noticing something lately," Jeff said, his green eyes downcast for a beat. Then, raising his gaze to the young woman's again, he continued. "I know this is gonna sound crazy, but I see a resemblance between little Mandy and... and..." 

Trish remained silent as she eyed him speculatively. She dared not to speak as she wished him to continue and not keep her in suspense. 

"... Adam," Jeff finally concluded. "Somehow, I keep noticing some similarities - resemblances between them..." 

Part 14

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	14. Chapter 14

The Following Saturday 

Trish was silent and thoughtful as she sat in Jay and Adam's locker room. Her mind had been consumed by what Jeff had told her the previous week. 

She couldn't rid her mind of what the young man had said about Amy's daughter Mandy... And about how he thought he could see a resemblance between the child and Adam. 

Yet... that was impossible - wasn't it? It certainly seemed so. But she'd taken a good long look at the little girl a couple of hours earlier, when she'd been delivered to the arena. 

As impossible as it seemed, Trish had to admit... She too had noticed some similarities between Amy Dumas' daughter and her friend. It was strange. 

The blonde woman shook her head, thoughts of feeling as though she were in The Twilight Zone zipping through her. Jeff was a bit of an oddball, and a lot of people bore resemblances to others. There was probably nothing to it. But... 

"There you are!" 

Trish barely looked up at the sound of Jay's voice as he entered the room. 

"I've been looking for you. A bunch of us were talking about grabbing some dinner, and..." The short-haired blond man neared his girlfriend and frowned with concern. "Babe, are you okay?" 

Trish nodded absently. 

I'm fine, just... thinking." 

Jay sat down beside her. 

"It looks like whatever you're thinking about is bothering you," he pointed out. 

"Actually, it does," the diva admitted, then bit down on her lower lip. Maybe she should just keep her mouth shut about this. It really was none of her business, anyway. 

"What is it, hon?" The blond man reached out and placed his hand on hers, caressing it soothingly and lovingly. 

The petite blonde sighed and glanced down at their hands. Would she be making a big mistake if she said something to Jay? One thing was certain - she knew she didn't want this to make its way back to Adam or Amy. All that would accomplish would be trouble. 

"Trish?" 

The diminuitive young woman raised her chocolate eyes to meet the blue ones of her boyfriend. She used her free hand to run it through her blond locks. Then, clearing her throat, she began to explain. 

"I don't know where to begin, Jay... but Jeff told me something last week... something... unsettling." 

"Unsettling?" 

The blonde nodded. 

"Yes, he... Well, he thinks Amanda bears some resemblance to..." She shifted her gaze for a beat, then returned it to his face. Then, lowering her voice, she continued. "... to Adam." 

The blond man began to chuckle. 

"What? That's pretty funny," he said. 

Trish nodded. 

"I know... I mean, they may have known each other years back, but they never slept together or anything, so-" She abruptly stopped speaking as the expression on Jay's face changed. Likewise, he went white as a sheet. 

"Jay?" Trish asked. "They didn't...?" 

Her boyfriend didn't reply, but the look on his face told her the answer. 

"Oh, my God..." 

Part 15

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	15. Chapter 15

Adam chuckled softly as he took in the joy little Amanda felt at the simple game they were playing. Well, on the contrary, it wasn't that simple. MarioKart was a little more skillful than that - but for a six-year-old, Mandy sure had good hand-eye coordination. As it was, he really wasn't trying to let her win. He had been, but that was before he'd realized she could actually play! 

"I beat you! I beat you!" 

The tall blond man let out a playful growl and put down his control. 

"You sure did, Blondie..." He made a creeping motion, wiggling his long fingers at the girl and she began to squeal as she dropped the control she'd been using. "... and now, the Tickle Monster's gonna get you!" 

Despite the fact that they were not alone in the locker room, Adam was completely oblivious by the scrutiny of the two others who were present. Instead, he was intent with a mischievous and playful purpose as he caught Mandy, holding her under one arm as he tickled her mercilessly with his free hand. The little girl screamed and laughed. 

Jay almost couldn't tear his gaze away from his best friend and the child, his brain working overtime. And then, finally, he turned to exchange glances with Trish, who was sitting beside him. He couldn't help but think about what she'd told him so recently - that Jeff Hardy actually suspected Amanda might be Adam's daughter. 

At first, he'd laughed it off, finding the idea ridiculous. How in heck could Adam be Mandy's father? But then something clicked inside his head, and he reminded himself that, once upon a time ago, the blond man and Amy had slept together. Yet, it had only been a one-night stand. What were the odds of...? Then he'd had to also remind himself that one time was all it took... 

"Excuse me, guys, I-" 

Everyone looked up at the sound of Amy's voice as she suddenly appeared in the doorway. Adam still had Mandy in his arms and paused in mid-tickle, his grin widening as he caught sight of the redhead. 

She was so caught off-guard by the scene between Adam and her daughter that her breath had been nearly taken away. The tall Canadian had been playing with her, ticking her by the looks of it. It touched her so profoundly - the two of them were really getting along. 

"Hi, Mommy!" the girl exclaimed. "I beat Uncle Adam in MarioKart!" 

The redhead laughed softly, melodiously. 

"Oh, is that so?" She swung her gaze toward the blond man. 

"I'm afraid so," he said spiritedly as he stood up. "I got my butt kicked by a six-year-old!" 

"I wanna beat Aunt Trish next!" 

"Sure, honey," the little blonde quipped as she reached out to gently poke Amanda on the tip of her nose. "But I think your mommy wanted something first." 

"Oh... right," Amy said as she ran her fingers through her hair. She glanced from Mandy to Adam and back and forth again. "Why don't you stay here and play with Aunt Trish and Uncle Jay while me and Uncle Adam have a talk?" 

The blond man met her gaze and could clearly see that she wanted to go elsewhere. Her hazel eyes seemed to be pleading with him. 

"Okay," the girl said as she climbed onto Trish's lap. Quickly, she was already engrossed in a new subject with the blonde diva and the short-haired Canadian man. 

Adam slipped from the room and followed Amy down the hallway. They walked awhile in silence for a moment until his curiosity got the better of him. It seemed as though the redheaded woman was full of pensiveness. 

"So, what's up?" he asked. 

"Well..." She bit her lip as she turned to face forward, suddenly refusing to look at him. Seeing him and Amanda so chummy back there and liking each other so much nearly had her choked up. It was so wonderful, she hoped it wouldn't bring her to tears. And yet, she still hadn't told him - either one of them... "I needed to talk to you," she resumed. "It's just that I... Well, you know how Matt and I have been having problems lately..." 

"Yeah...?" Adam felt his heart quickening at her words. 

"And in spite of that, I think he's going to ask me to marry him," Amy plundered on. 

The tall blond man's heart stopped, his blood running ice cold. It felt as though he'd been punched in the stomach, kicked in the balls. 

"But... the thing is," she continued in a whisper. "I'm thinking of leaving him..." 

Part 16

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	16. Chapter 16

"What?" 

The single word left Adam's lips as he stared down into Amy's face incredulously. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd heard her correctly. 

The woman shook her head, a look of extreme hopelessness crossing her features. 

"I just..." 

"Wait..." the blond man said, raising a finger to his lips to silence her. Glancing around the area furtively, he grabbed hold of her wrist, pulling her along. Seconds later, his warm, large hand took gentle hold of her much smaller one, and the redhead was nearly overwhelmed just by that small action and contact. 

He quickly located an empty locker room and gently tugged her inside. She glanced at him almost fearfully as she stood there, watching him close - and even lock - the door behind him. 

"Okay," he said as he turned back to face her, his face looking concerned and even perplexed, "now we can talk without anyone overhearing." He edged closer to her, and Amy felt herself back up until she felt a wall behind her. She was thankful that, as, at the moment, she didn't quite feel strong enough to stand of her own accord. 

"What's going on?" 

She swallowed hard, praying that the tears she idiotically felt wouldn't come. She shook her head, a lump in her throat. 

"Adam, I..." She sighed. "Matt and I - we've been together five years now, and... Well, I realized that I don't really love him." 

The blond man kept his gaze on hers, surprise filling him. He crossed his arms over his chest and didn't speak, instead vying for her to continue. 

"I mean, I love him, but I just... not in that way." She raked a hand through her long red hair, a crestfallen expression overtaking her face as her gaze went heavenward. "In truth, I'm scared of being alone." 

Adam cocked his head at her. 

"You'd still have Mandy if you left him." It was on the tip of his tongue to say, 'and you'd still have me,' but he kept it in. 

Amy nodded. 

"I know... of course." A tiny smile touched her lips at his mention of her daughter's name - their daughter's name. If he only knew... She swallowed hard, feeling the tears pricking behind her eyelids. "I'm not just scared of being alone - the mere thought downright terrifies me." 

"No one likes being alone." 

"You've done it for the last few years," she pointed out, and Adam nearly flinched. Now was probably not the best time to tell her that was because he'd been pining away for her all these years, that no other woman he'd met had ever come close to measuring up to her. 

"Yeah," he nodded. "Sometimes, it's just better that way, being alone." 'Great,' he thought, 'smart move... Now you're encouraging her against being with anyone - yourself included. Swift move, jackass!' 

The redhead let out a soft, slightly choked sound as she felt the tears threaten to overwhelm her. 

"My fear of being alone, and my wanting Mandy to... have a father... in her life... those are the reasons why I've stayed with Matt all this time." 

Adam gazed at her tenderly, a warmth filling his heart toward this woman. She seemed so fragile and vulnerable. How different she now seemed from the way he'd usually perceived her. Normally, Amy Dumas was the epitome of strength - she was a fighter - a single mother, independent, following her dreams even after she'd been unable to pursue them years earlier, as she'd hoped. And she was doing a great job of raising little Mandy - what a fantastic mom she was, a true role model for her daughter. He respected her so immensely. She was so vital and strong, yet at the same time, she seemed so delicate. He wanted more than anything to support her, be her rock and strength when she herself wasn't feeling strong. 

"The truth is," she went on, a single tear finally trickling its way down her cheek, "I... never got over Mandy's father..." Amy ducked her head, thoroughly ashamed as she willed herself to spit it out and tell him the truth. Now seemed to be as good a time as any to tell him. 

Adam moved forward, his heart going out to her but jealousy and envy consuming him toward whomever had fathered the redhead's child. He pulled her into his embrace, his arms wrapping around her shaking form. He rocked her and held her for the longest time. 

Part 17

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	17. Chapter 17

"You wanna do something tonight, Ames? Go out somewhere?" 

Amy turned from her task of sorting out her toiletries from her bag to the hotel bathroom and looked at Matt. She couldn't help wishing he wasn't there with her. It wasn't really his fault, though. She shook her head. 

"I'm not really up for a night of clubbing," she replied. She pushed a lock of red hair behind one ear as she stepped out of the lavatory. "But if you want to go..." She gestured with both hands. "... by all means - don't let me stop you." 

"Well... I thought it would be more fun if you came with me, but... okay," the dark-haired man agreed. A small smile crossed his lips as he came toward her. 

Amy's guard shot up as she noticed the familiar way he behaved when he 'wanted some lovin',' and she sucked a breath. Damn it, she really didn't feel that way toward him anymore - which was the perfect reason why she should have gotten it over with already. And after her conversation with Adam a few days earlier, she told herself she was going to do it. 

'Tell him!' she told herself as he inched closer, his arms opening for her. She shifted her gaze around helplessly, wishing she had the guts to just do it. Damn it, what was wrong with her? There were vitally important things she needed to tell two men who both had a right to know certain things - but again, she did exactly what she knew she would do - nothing. 

She let out the breath she'd been holding the moment Matt's arms encircled her, holding her close. Assorted visions danced through her head - Mandy... Mandy running up to Matt when he came home, jumping into his arms and calling him 'Daddy'... Adam... Mandy with Matt again... 'Daddy!' It was just plain wrong... It all jumbled together, and Amy thought she was going to be sick. 

Violently, she shoved away from Matt, her right hand up to her mouth. 

"I'm... sorry!" she cried, then ducked back into the bathroom. 

She wondered what in hell was wrong with her when, a moment later, she was puking her guts out. 

"Hey... My God, are you okay?" he was asking from the doorway. 

She raised her left hand, holding it palm-out to him, as it came to an end. Mortified, she flushed the commode, then pushed her hair back from her face as she made her way to the sink. She was silent except for a whimper as she washed her hands, then rinsed out her mouth. 

"Amy?" 

The redhead kept her head bowed, eyes downcast and focused on the basin as water swirled down the drain. What in hell was wrong with her? 

One thing was certain, and for which she felt relived beyond belief - she knew she wasn't pregnant. She'd been on the pill for the last several months, so she was safe. 

"I... I'm fine, Matt," she insisted, but she sounded unconvincing, even to herself. 

"Are you sure?" Matt questioned. "Let me feel your face." 

Amy didn't protest as he did so. 

"You don't have a fever." The man's face took on a look of puzzlement, but the concern returned. "Okay, it's settled. You're definitely staying in tonight - and so am I." 

"No," the redhead protested. "I'm fine - you just go out and have fun." Matt seemed about to protest again, but she vehemently shook her head. "I swear, I'll be fine," she insisted. "Please - go out." 

He nodded. 

"Okay - but you call me if you need me, all right?" 

Amy nodded as she exited the bathroom and stretched out on the bed in the main room. 

"Good." Matt walked back into the bathroom, and the diva's head was spinning. 

She thought she knew what had happened, but it was crazy. She thought she'd gotten sick because Matt had tried to touch her, but that wasn't quite it. 

In reality, she'd gotten so violently ill when she thought of Mandy with Matt - calling him 'Daddy' - and all the while, Adam was in her mind. 

Part 18

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	18. Chapter 18

That Friday 

Adam smiled as he peered into the slightly ajar door to the women's locker room. He'd been in search for Amy earlier for the car that would deliver her daughter to her for the weekend. 

The room appeared to be empty except for the redhead and the little girl. That suited the tall blond man just fine, and he reached out and rapped on the door with his knuckles. 

Amy looked up abruptly as the door swung open, and Mandy's eyes lit up. 

"Uncle Adam!" The little girl ran forward and jumped up at him. The tall Canadian laughed as he stooped down to gather her into his arms. 

"Heya, kiddo..." 

Amy's breath caught in her throat as she watched the two of them. They were so crazy about each other, and it touched her so deeply, she could have just broken down and cried. Was it possible that, deep down inside, Adam knew? And even little Mandy - that even she knew? Lord knew, Amanda had taken to the tall blond man so quickly. She positively adored him. At the same time, she knew that Adam loved kids. 

She was further moved as Adam planted a hearty kiss on the child's cheek. 

"Give me a kiss," the blond man said, turning his head and pointing to his right cheek. A small smile adorned his face, but it grew to a full-fledged grin when Amanda complied. 

Amy felt herself getting choked up with emotion. Suddenly, she wished the three of them could become a real family. This was just too precious, too warming to her heart. She'd been realizing more and more her feelings for the Canadian had been increasing. She wondered if it were possible for her to fall even more deeply in love with him. 

Suddenly, he swung his gaze her way, and their eyes locked and held. His green orbs seemed to be silently questioning her, and she bit her lip as she recalled the most recent confession she'd made to him. 

Adam gently set Mandy on her feet and again met Amy's eyes. 

Damn it... Why couldn't she do anything these days? She had to tell him - she had to! He deserved to know, and so did Mandy. They both deserved the chance to have that relationship with one another - that strong, loving bond that existed only between a father and daughter. And she needed to speak to Matt. It wasn't fair to him or to herself for her to stay in a relationship she no longer felt. 

She felt her eyes misting and bit her lip, hating the fact that she was breaking down in front of her child. 

Adam's expression changed to one of great concern as he noted the emotion overtaking Amy. Keeping his gaze on the redhead, he spoke to the little girl. 

"C'mon, Mandy - let's go find your Uncle Jeff." He gestured to Amy, mouthing that he would be right back. Then, he grabbed hold of Amanda's hand and left the room. 

Amy was relieved the locker room was deserted as she sank back into a chair. She felt the sobs coming and bowed her head, holding it in her hands. It hurt so much. She felt so helpless. 

In minutes, she heard him return to the room, and she didn't even bother to look up as she heard him close and then lock the door. 

The blond man crossed the room to her, kneeling down in front of the distressed woman. 

She felt his large hand gently on her knee, and she moved her hands from her brow. Her eyes instantly met his concerned pools of forest green, and she lost it. 

"I can't... I wimped out, Adam," she breathed. "I can't stay with Matt, and I... I don't want to be with him anymore, but..." She stopped as more tears came. 

The blond man gazed up at her with tender concern, his hands gripping hers. Gently, he allowed the pads of his thumbs to caress the backs of her small, smooth hands. 

"I guess you'll just do it when you're ready," he said softly. "Honey, don't cry..." He released her right hand and pressed his large, warm left hand to her cheek, where he dried the tears. Her eyes closed at the sensation of his fingers on her face. "And don't you ever forget that I'm here for you - and I always will be." 

Part 19

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	19. Chapter 19

Once Amy was composed enough to go back out into the hallway, she let Adam know. The tall blond man opened the door and then followed her out. 

The coast seemed to be clear. No one seemed to be watching them, or even taking notice of them at all. 

In silence, they made their way back to the locker rooms, and the redhead suddenly heard her daughter's voice. 

Adam's gaze was directed toward the excited squeal of little Amanda. Further on down the hall, he spotted Matt Hardy. As he continued to watch, Mandy jumped up into the dark-haired man's arms. 

"Daddy! Daddy!" 

The blond man felt a twinge of jealousy at the display. Was it really so wrong of him to be so envious of Matt? Was it really so bad for him to wish he were in the other man's shoes? That is, provided Amy would be happy with him and want to be with him. It seemed, at least for the moment, that Matt had it all - the sweetest and most beautiful woman in the world, and the adorable little girl who thought of him as 'Daddy.' 

All of a sudden, he felt the overwhelming urge to get away. The display just hurt him to watch. Things between Amy and Matt may have been strained, but Matt and Mandy seemed fine - intact. Irrational as it was, Adam was jealous as hell for that. Already he was realizing he was starting to look at Amanda like his very own daughter. 

"I... gotta get back to my locker room," he stammered. He failed to notice Amy looking after him as he strode down the hall. 

"Uncle Adam!" Mandy called, her little right arm outstretched in the direction he'd just disappeared. From Matt's arms, the girl turned toward her mother. "Mommy, why did Uncle Adam go?" 

The redhead looked at her daughter, her gaze shifting to the hallway down which the Canadian had just strode. 

"He has things to do, honey." She reached for her, taking the child from her boyfriend's arms and sighed. The truth was, she would have preferred Adam's company right now over Matt's. And was it really so terrible that she wished the three of them - Adam, Mandy and herself - could be a real family? 

"I just came from a meeting with Mr. McMahon," Matt announced. 

Amy's attention returned to the dark-haired man. She'd forgotten that the chairman of the company had requested Matt's presence earlier. 

"And?" 

"I'm going to make several appearances over the next couple of weeks," he said. "Some signings and promotional stuff. So I won't be around for the shows for awhile." 

"Oh..." The redhead arched a brow, surprised. She had to acknowledge that she wasn't disappointed by this news. With Matt away from her for two weeks, she would have a bit of time to think things over for herself, for the situation. 

"But don't worry," Matt said with a small smile. "I'll be back before you turn around." 

Amy gave him a tiny, albeit forced, smile of her own. The man came forth to give her a quick hug before releasing her and gesturing. 

"I gotta get ready for my match." 

The redhead nodded, then departed down the hallway with Mandy clutching her hand. As she was nearly at the women's locker room, she realized Adam was just exiting his own. He was already dressed in his tights and boots, and her gaze swept over his chisled, finely-muscled back and then chest as he turned. The blond man caught her gaze, their eyes locking for what felt like an eternity. 

That silent communication sent the most incredible chills rippling up Amy's spine. 

Part 20

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	20. Chapter 20

The Following Monday 

Adam was only half awake as he arrived at the hotel that morning. His flight had been most unrestful but more so because of all the stuff going on in his head more than anything else. 

He yawned as he checked into his room. He couldn't stop thinking about Amy - and Mandy - as he lugged his bag inside. The little girl had off from school today, so she was with her mother but would be picked up to go home shortly before RAW. No doubt, it would be boring for a six-year-old all day, so an idea suddenly came to him. 

The tall blond man smiled as he headed out of his hotel room and made his way toward Amy's. He knew what room number she had and was glad it wasn't far from his own. 

As he arrived, he reached out to knock. After waiting for a moment, the door was opened, and a fresh but sleepy-looking redhead peered out at him. 

"Hi." She smiled, and it reached all the way up into those incredible hazel eyes. Adam felt as though he were melting. Damn it, she was beautiful. 

"Hi," he replied, a warm smile touching his lips. "I was just in the neighborhood," he continued teasingly, and his heart swelled at the way the woman's smile increased into a full-fledged happy grin. "I was wondering if you two ladies would like to join me for some good, old-fashioned fun later on...?" 

Amy smiled up at him, cocking her head as she held the door open widely, inviting him inside. As he entered, he saw that Amanda was sound asleep in the middle of the Queen-sized bed. The kid was out like a light. 

He smiled and shifted his gaze back to the redhead. 

"Oops," he said, his voice down to a whisper. "Maybe I should go." 

"No... no," Amy protested. "Don't..." She reached out for his arm. "... I would love your company." Her eyes sparkled as she gazed up at him. 

"Well... all right," he replied softly. "I just wouldn't wanna disturb Sleeping Beauty..." He gestured to Mandy. 

The redhead's smile brightened some more, a tiny, melodious chuckle escaping her. 

"She can sleep through a war," she quipped. "Though I couldn't have forseen that during my pregnancy..." When the tall blond man arched a brow questioningly, she elaborated. "She was pretty restless in the womb - kicked her mommy every chance she got." She glanced from her daughter and then up into Adam's green eyes, the smile now tiny on her lips. Her hand slid down his arm, and the blond man, without even thinking about it, slipped his hand to her much smaller one. He held onto it and gently squeezed it, his fingers caressing hers. His gaze seemed completely fixed to her face, those eyes. 

Amy's breath caught in her throat at just the mere sensation of holding his hand. His were so large and warm, and so surprisingly soft. She found herself suddenly incapable of even thinking... 

"Mommy?" 

She snapped back to reality in an instant, pulling her hand from the blond man's. 

"Hey, sleepyhead." 

"Hi, Uncle Adam!" Mandy said sleepily. She climbed off the bed to give him a hug. 

Amy was silent as she watched them, a myriad of emotions swirling through her. 

Later, the three of them were having a blast together. Amy was glad Adam had come up with the idea - and for the last hour or so, they'd been at the small bowling alley across the street and a couple of blocks from the hotel. 

Mandy seemed to be having the most fun, but the redhead was really enjoying herself as well. However, she didn't know for sure if the same could be said for Adam. 

The tall blond man wasn't much of a bowler, as evidenced by several gutterballs he'd thrown. She, on the other hand, was decent and had so far thrown a game in the 150s. Amanda didn't seem to care about her scores, the little girl thrilled with just the act of bowling in itself. She hadn't even wanted bumpers when asked about them. In fact, she thought Adam needed them more than Mandy did, which made her chuckle. 

"I give up..." the tall blond man muttered, though a big, bright grin came to his face. He'd thrown a gutter in the first ball of the tenth frame, then only picked up a seven, finishing with a grand total of 109. 

"Oh, well - at least you passed 100 this time!" Amy laughed, sticking her tongue out at him teasingly. 

"Yeah, yeah - you're up, showoff!" 

As the redhead rose to finish her game, Mandy climbed into Adam's lap, clapping and cheering her mother on. And Amy ended up throwing a turkey - three strikes - to end the game, giving her a 204! 

"Oh, my God!" she squealed as her score finally displayed. She was jumping up and down in her delight as Mandy and Adam came toward her. "That's my first 200!" she exclaimed, jumping up into the blond man's arms. "My best game ever!" 

The tall Canadian hugged her arms against him as he showered her with praises, then pulled back to gaze into her face. 

Their eyes locked and held, and he was struck with the urge to kiss her. Her smile waned as she seemed about to do something, but then he guessed she'd thought better of it. 

The moment now passed, Adam swallowed hard and tried to focus instead on the ecstatic Mandy. 

Part 21

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	21. Chapter 21

Late that night 

Amy glanced over at Adam, the tall blond man seemingly absorbed in the movie they were watching. 

It was Monday night, and they were back at the hotel after RAW. Matt was still away, Mandy was by now back home, and she had agreed to hang out with Adam tonight. 

God, he was such a beautiful man. She'd always thought that, and she'd also always realized that Amanda had inherited most of her looks from Adam. She had his blond curls, his nose, his lips... Probably the only facial features she'd gotten from her were her eyes and chin. 

She paid absolutely no heed to the movie on the cable as she examined the blond man, her lips parted slightly as she recalled the next time she'd seen him after their night together... 

It was late October. She'd been out for part of the day, tending to various important errands. After the day she'd had, at eight and a half months pregnant, she was downright exhausted. 

Gingerly, the young woman lowered herself onto her couch, her left hand coming to stroke her large belly. It was definitely getting more and more difficult to move around these days. However, she was looking forward to the birth of her baby - becoming a mom. She smiled as she glanced down at herself. 

Amy grabbed hold of the TV remote at her right side, flipping on the television set. She wondered why, as she surfed the channels, there never seemed to be anything good on when there were so many stations - and then, she came to the USA Network... 

She froze, her gaze fixed to the screen. It was him... 

The pregnant woman's mouth opened just slightly, her eyes blinking with emotion as she stared at him. He looked exactly the same as he had eight and a half months earlier, the last time she'd seen him... 

All of a sudden, she gave a slight start as the baby began to kick. She glanced down at her protruding belly, both hands now clutching at it, then raised her gaze back up to the television. Edge had just won his match, and Howard Finkel was announcing him the victor. 

Her mouth was completely bone dry. As she watched him celebrate in the ring, a myriad of questions flew through her head: How would he react if he knew? Would he be happy or angry? Sad? Would he hate her? Or would he open his arms to her? Would he see her as intruding upon or interfering with his life? What if...? 

The baby continued his or her ruthless assault inside of her, causing her to wince and nearly double over. At this point, Edge was making his way up the ramp with Gangrel and Christian, and then... He was gone... 

"Hey..." 

The sound of Adam's voice, laced with concern, the feel of his gentle hand nudging at her shoulder, brought Amy back from her reverie. 

"Hmm? Oh, I'm sorry." She couldn't help feeling embarrassed. 

"If you're tired-" 

The redhead shook her head. 

"I'm not tired," she admitted. "I was just thinking." She smiled at him. Despite all her fears and insecurities, the blond man made her feel so at ease. It was truly a nice feeling. 

"Ahh..." He repositioned his long body, propping himself on his left elbow and gazed up into her lovely face. "... Actually, I've been thinking, too," he admitted. The truth was, in spite of the fact that his gaze had been fixed to the TV, he really hadn't been paying much attention to the movie at all. 

"Yeah? What about?" she pressed. She folded her right leg beneath her gracefully, pushing the long red hair behind her ears as she eyed him with anticipation. 

"Honestly?" the handsome Canadian said softly. "About you and me... and Mandy..." 

Amy's breath caught in her throat, her heart suddenly pounding too fast. 

"... How much I enjoy spending time with you and her... And just you." 

The redhead bit her lip, her head down as she suddenly gazed at her hands folded in her lap, as though she found them fascinating. 

"And," he continued, his voice soft as he craned his neck slightly to gaze more fully up into her face, her eyes, "I have to be honest with you... Even though we've been avoiding the subject... Lately, I've been thinking a lot about our one night together." 

Amy flushed, feeling her face burning as her eyes met his. His green orbs seemed to be shining, filled with emotion. His face was so near hers, and... God help her, he seemed about to kiss her. 

"I can't stop thinking about it, Ames..." he breathed. He blinked as he moved his face still closer to hers, closer, and she suddenly seemed responsive as she began to dip her head toward his. Their lips hovering mere inches apart, Adam held his breath, his eyes slowly closing, and... 

"No..." Amy pulled back, almost leaping up from the bed, her head shaking. "... I-I can't do this. I'm sorry, Adam." Her face full of - he could swear it was sorrow he saw within her hazel eyes - she edged close to the door. "I... I should leave." 

The tall blond man left the bed and went to her, his expression still soft as he reached out for her. 

"Don't go..." 

She raised her head to gaze up into those gorgeous emerald eyes, and her heart just about stopped. 

He cocked his head as he peered deeply into her eyes, a shiver running up her spine at that look. He seemed to be making love to her with his intense, piercing gaze. 

"... I've dreamed about us," he confessed. "I can't stop thinking about you, and that night." He stepped closer, his arms tentatively encircling her. "I need..." He swallowed hard before continuing. "... one more night - one more night like that just to remember your touch... your... your sweetness. Please, Amy," he whispered. "Please..." 

Amy's heart was still pounding, her eyes closing as he moved still closer, his face so near hers. She could feel his warm breath on her face. She was dying, her breath held in anticipation. A small voice in the back of her head yelled at her that this was wrong - she was still with Matt - but she shook it off. 

Adam closed that meager bit of distance, lowering his head and capturing her lips with his - and she had neither the strength nor the heart to turn him away. Instead, she melted into his embrace and kissed him back with a passion she'd never known with any man but him. 

Part 22

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	22. Chapter 22

A soft whimper escaped Amy as she felt his soft, hot, wet and very demanding tongue enter her mouth. It tangled with hers in a passionate battle for dominance, his strong, muscled arms tightening around her waist. 

She felt dizzy. She felt as though she were spinning. It felt as though she were caught in some beautiful, impossible dream, one from which she would awaken at any moment. But she knew it was reality. 

"Amy... Oh, God... my sweet, beautiful Ames..." Adam moaned, his lips trailing kisses all over hers, moving to her cheeks, her jawline, her eyes. He kissed his way to her right ear, his long fingers tangling gently into her thick long hair. He nipped gently on her earlobe, causing her to cry out. And then, when he dipped his tongue inside her ear, she cried out even louder, her knees nearly giving out on her. He let out a soft growl of desire as she pulled his head toward her face again, kissing him into sweet oblivion. The passion between them was so combustible, it was nearly overwhelming. 

The blond man pressed her up against the door - the very one through which she'd nearly left moments earlier - his lips just as demanding. He groaned into her mouth as he pressed up against her, his hips rocking against the redhead, the hardness of his erection rubbing against her stomach. 

"Oh, God..." she swore softly, her eyes nearly rolling back into her head as he focused on her neck. She burrowed her hands into his long, soft, fine blond hair, her body more than ready and willing to be satisfied. She thought she could just about die right then and there. 

Adam growled again, this time sweeping her up into his arms. She gazed, mesmerized, up into his beautiful green eyes as he carried her back to the bed. Not a word was spoken between them as he laid her in its center, his gaze filled with hunger and lust as he attacked her clothing. 

Amy licked her lips, her breath held as she sat there against the pillows in her bra and panties. It had been so long - far too long - since she'd experienced this with him. 

The tall blond man was so gentle as he unclasped her bra, she thought she might break down and cry. 

"So beautiful," he murmured, his forest green eyes drinking her in tenderly, passionately. "So very beautiful." He noted that being pregnant and having a child hadn't affected her body in any way, shape or form. She was a little bigger than she'd been six years earlier, but so gorgeous... perfect. He slid the thong down her legs and ankles and off, his breath nearly lost. 

The redhead was practically salivating at the want clearly evident on his handsome face. She inched closer to him, her gaze fixed on his green eyes as she attacked his own garments. She bit her lip as he helped her rid him of his T-shirt, her heart thumping like mad as she went for the button and zipper on his jeans. He was already hard, as she'd known, and the front of the pants tented out very, very slightly due to the rough denim material. 

Hurriedly, he kicked out of the jeans, and she stared down at his erection in his briefs, her lips parting in anticipation. Slowly, the redhead pressed forward, her right hand snaking out and down to fondle him. 

The Canadian man hissed through his teeth at the sensation, his eyes closing. He felt her lower his briefs suddenly, his breath held as he moved to step out of them. He pulled her up to stand with him, his arms tightening around her naked waist, his throbbing member pressing against her. 

He kissed her deeply again, his tongue exploring every crevice of her mouth. Damn, she tasted sweet - just as he remembered. He wanted to savor every moment of this night. 

Adam raised his head from hers, gazing deeply into her hazel eyes, which were filled with a haze of passion. He smiled lazily before dipping his head again, kissing her throat before working his way lower. 

Amy sighed, her knees again feeling like jelly as the blond man kissed his way down her body. He trailed his lips and tongue and teeth lower, and lower, and lower still. 

"Oh, God... Adam... Adam..." 

She gasped as he reached her moist center, his tongue teasing, tantalizing her with alternate softness, then firm pressure. She reached down to tangle her fingers into his long blond hair, her head lowering to watch him. He was knelt before her, his mouth and tongue still working magic on her, and she began to arch against him. 

She held her breath, the urge to just let go hitting her, but no... She wouldn't give in just yet. 

She moaned. She suddenly realized he was speaking as he stopped, pressing a kiss to the inner thigh of her left leg. 

"What?" 

"I love you." 

The redhead's heart nearly stopped but then seemed to explode. She was breathless at the words he'd just spoken. She couldn't believe it. 

'I love you.' 

He came to stand directly before her again, his hard-on fully bulging, his gaze soft but lust-filled, and caught her lips again in yet another mind-searing kiss. 

Gently, he lowered her to the bed, the redhead instantly spreading her legs beneath him. She wanted him so badly, she could taste it. Never had she wanted a man more than she wanted Adam Copeland. 

He lowered a hand between them, letting out a soft groan as he found her very wet. Then, in one single, fluid motion, he filled her completely, his eyes squeezing shut at the sensation. Damn, she was tight. 

Their lovemaking was so beautiful, it brought tears to her eyes. She clasped her legs around his waist, as though trying to hold him even more deeply inside of her. He pumped in and out of her at a deliberate pace, causing her to cry out. 

He smiled softly as he thrust through her orgasm, his heart soaring. It was just as wonderful as he'd remembered it all those years ago. And then, he growled as he felt his own climax hit, gritting his teeth as he released himself within her. 

When it was over, the redhead gazed up at him, fully sated and sweaty. She couldn't feel anything at that very moment but peace, and the feeling that she was exactly where she belonged - in Adam's arms. 

As though reading her thoughts, the sweaty blond man smiled. He leaned down again to capture her lips in another soft kiss. 

Part 23

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	23. Chapter 23

Amy's eyes fluttered open the next morning early - too early, it seemed. Momentarily, she was somewhat disoriented. 

There were a pair of strong, muscular arms encircling her waist, a solid body spooning behind her. 

She remembered... Matt was away, off to a multitude of places for some appearances. Adam had kissed her last night. He'd confessed certain very deep things to her. He'd told her he loved her. And they'd made love for the first time in six years. 

Recalling everything had the redhead all choked up. It would all be so very beautiful and without flaws but for two very important factors... 

She stiffened ever so slightly as the blond man suddenly stirred behind her. She could feel his body shudder somewhat as he stretched a little, chasing that with a small, sleepy groan. Then, he tightened his arms around her waist. 

"You awake?" 

Damn it, he knew she was - she knew it, too. There was no use feigning sleep. What in God's name was she supposed to do now, after last night? She still knew she couldn't stay with Matt. At the same time, the Canadian had never broached the topic of them actually being together - in spite of saying he loved her. But those three little words usually meant as much. 

"Yeah... H-hi," she finally answered. Damn it, she was tired. It was hard to believe what had happened the previous night. It all felt so much like a dream. If she'd returned to her own hotel room at some point in the night as she had on that other night six years earlier, she might have actually thought it to be so. 

Gently, the blond man released her, but then turned her around so that she was facing him. Their gazes met, and he smiled at her, and Amy felt as though she could die at the look in his eyes. 

"You stayed all night this time..." 

The redhead nearly flinched at his words, realizing suddenly how much it must have hurt him when he'd awoken that first time after they'd made love to find her gone. She'd been a coward back then, scared to face him in the morning when she would be leaving for Mexico immediately after their one and only time together... Just as she was still a coward right now. Damn it, he had every right to know that their first night together had resulted in a child - in little Mandy, whom she knew Adam adored. 

"Yeah..." she said lamely, her gaze dropping from his eyes to his nose, his lips, his strong jaw. She wondered how it was possible that she could still feel even the least bit shy with him. 

Adam dipped his head somewhat, so that their eyes met again. 

"You know, I really meant what I said last night, Amy," he said softly, his face so near to hers that she could feel his warm breath. 

Her own breath caught in her throat, and he gave her a tiny smile again. Her heart was pounding so hard and fast, she feared it just might escape the confines of her chest. 

"I love you, Amy Dumas..." he breathed. "... I always have." 

The redhead blinked, at a loss for words as she gave him a questioning look. 

"I loved you way back when, the first time this happened, but..." The blond man shook his head. "... I was too scared to admit it to you, especially with you going off to Mexico and me going to the WWE." 

"A-Adam..." Tears filled Amy's eyes as the emotion overtook her. He'd always loved her... "...I ... I always loved you, too. I..." Her words were silenced by a soft, warm kiss. 

After a long moment, he pulled back and nuzzled her tenderly, her eyes closing at the sensation. He pressed another kiss to her forehead before speaking again. 

"I feel a little bad about this while you're still technically with Matt," he admitted. "But I don't regret it one bit." 

There were still tears on her face, and he reached out with one large, gentle hand, brushing them away tenderly. When he was done, she reached for him, burrowing her fingers into his long blond hair. She shook her head. 

"Neither do I..." With those words, she pulled his head to hers, their lips meeting hotly in a mind-searing kiss. 

Part 24

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	24. Chapter 24

Amy stood waiting patiently for Amanda's arrival, a small smile on her face. She couldn't help it... During this entire week, she'd felt so good - in love and loved back. 

She and Adam had been mostly discreet as they'd continued to meet at night in one another's hotel rooms, and various times and places during the day as well, when they had a chance. Of course, due to Matt's absence, it wasn't quite official just yet. The elder Hardy had called her a couple of times - once when she and Adam had been stowed away in her hotel room - but she couldn't break up with him over the phone. Matt had been really good to her, and she owed him that much. 

"Mommy!" Mandy cried, breaking away from her nanny, Linda, and rushing directly to her. The redhead stooped down to gather the little girl in her arms, pressing a kiss to her soft, sweet cheek. 

She looked up after a moment, offering the woman who'd delivered her daughter to the arena a bright smile. 

"Thank you, Linda, I really appreciate it - and everything you've done." 

The kindly woman, blonde and in her late forties, gave a genial smile. 

"You're very welcome, Amy. I'll see you soon." With that, the woman turned and left. 

The redhead's face still contained a soft smile as she watched Mandy's nanny leave. Then, grasping her daughter's hand, she turned to head to the locker rooms. 

She froze as she caught the brilliant emerald green gaze of Adam. The blond man's handsome face donned a smile as he eyed them. Apparently, he'd been standing there for at least a few minutes. 

"Uncle Adam!" Mandy exclaimed, the little girl releasing her mother's hand to run to him. 

"Hiya, kiddo," the Canadian said with a chuckle as he knelt down so that she could jump right into his arms. 

The instant the little girl's arms were clasped around his neck in a hug, he pressed a kiss to her soft blonde head. 

Amy stood there, transfixed as she always was while watching them interact. It was so very sweet - just as the entire week had been. The only damp spot was that she still hadn't garnered up enough nerve to spill her guts and tell Adam the truth. But she knew she had do to exactly that, and soon. Now that they were so very close, it was perhaps even more pertinent than it had already been that she do that. And of course, Amanda would have to know as well - as would Matt Hardy. 

Adam straightened up, the little blonde girl still up in his arms, and he offered Amy a sweet smile. He was already dressed for the ring, in a pair of black tights and boots. How he wished he could grab the redhead and kiss her right here, now. But he couldn't - not out in the open while she was still technically with Matt. Despite all that, it was damn difficult for him to not act on his desires. 

"Got a match tonight, huh?" the tall blond man asked Amy as they began making their way through the hall. 

She nodded. 

"Against none other than Trish... I hope she takes it easy with me, since she's pretty stiff." 

"Aww, don't worry, sweetheart - you'll be great." 

Amy smiled as she met his warm green eyes. God, he made her feel so wonderful - so special and wanted... loved. She couldn't help regretting all the years they'd lost when she'd left for Mexico. Who knew? Maybe they would have been married for the last few years had she never gone. 

"Do I get to watch your match with Auntie Trish?" Mandy's small voice suddenly penetrated her thoughts. 

"Sure, honey." She couldn't shield her daughter from her life, her career, even though it could get violent. In fact, the only times she wouldn't allow Mandy to witness a match or segment was when she knew beforehand that there would be blood, swearing or other inappropriateness involved. And she couldn't help but wonder if the girl would end up growing up to be an adult who shared the same passion for wrestling as she felt - that her father felt. 

"Do I get to watch Uncle Adam's match, too?" 

Amy exchanged glances with the tall blond man, who gave her a knowing look. 

"I won't be blading tonight," he assured her, "and neither will Chris." He would be facing a fellow Canadian, Chris Benoit, in the night's houseshow. 

The redhead smiled. 

"I don't see why not," she said, shifting her gaze back to the little girl. 

"Yay!" Mandy exclaimed. "Mommy, you and Uncle Adam are my favorite wrestlers!" 

Adam chuckled as he met Amy's beautiful hazel eyes. The kid was just too adorable. 

Part 25

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	25. Chapter 25

Amy bit her lip as she strode down the arena hallway. She'd left Mandy with her Uncle Jeff, the colorful-haired young man giving her sort of a strange look as she'd slunk off, offering no explanation. 

She couldn't help feeling like a thief as she made her way down the corridor, her thoughts on one person, and on one thing. They'd talked about meeting earlier in the night, and now was her chance. 

The redhead glanced around quickly, her heart thumping as she approached his locker room. No one seemed to be watching or paying her any attention. And so, facing forward, she raised her hand, her knuckles rapping lightly against the door. 

In seconds, the locker room door opened, and he held it just enough for her to slip inside. He shut it behind her, his green eyes fixed intensely on her hazel as he reached down and locked it, then in an instant, they were in one another's embrace. Adam lowered his head, capturing her lips in a fiercely passionate kiss, his tongue hot and demanding as it penetrated her mouth. 

Amy was already breathing heavily as she held fast to him, her left hand gripping his right bicep hard, her right up in his long blond hair. She kissed him back with equal fervor, all her heart and soul in it as she tilted her head up a bit more as she spiraled her tongue around his, nearly losing her breath as she felt his hands roaming over her body. 

The blond man tugged at her shirt, a soft moan escaping him as he rubbed his lower body against her. God, he wanted her. He was already hard inside his blue jeans, and it was becoming increasingly painful in there. He wanted out of them and inside of her. Now that he'd again gotten a taste of her, he could never get enough. 

Amy twisted slightly, just enough so as to allow him to rid her of her shirt. Her gaze was filled with desire as she gazed up at him, a soft smile crossing his handsome features. The expression on his face was so fiercely tender as he looked down at her that she nearly died. Never had she seen such open longing and love on a man's face directed at her as she saw in his. He loved her. He truly and honestly loved her. 

In moments, they were both nude, and Adam backed her gently into the far wall, desire still etched on his face. He dipped his head to kiss her deeply once again, lengthening it to the point that they were both even more turned on and dizzy with passion. He loved kissing her... He never wanted to stop. Reluctantly, he broke the kiss, raising her up in his arms, and she instantly clasped her legs around his waist, gasping as she felt him slip inside of her. 

It went on and on, the unbelievable sensations overtaking her as he pumped in and out of her at a pace they both enjoyed. His lips sought hers again, his tongue lapping at her mouth and lips softly, then firmly alternately, and he was tender and affectionate and hotly passionate at the same time. She panted as she felt the orgasm hitting her, then bit her lip to keep from screaming. They couldn't afford to let anyone outside in the hallway hear them. 

The tall blond man moaned softly, his lips at her ear as he quickly followed suit, and he collapsed against her and the wall as he emptied himself into her. Her legs stayed firmly wrapped around his waist, drawing him further into her, and he felt like he could just about die right then and there - and do so happily. 

They stayed like that for a few minutes afterward, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. He remained inside of her as he held her firmly in place with his right arm, his left hand coming up to tenderly stroke her hair away from her face. His eyes sparkled as he gazed deeply into hers. 

"I love you," he whispered, then moved forward to again press a kiss to her lips. 

Moments later, Amy was feeling somewhat empty, guilt coursing through her. It had nothing at all to do with the fact that they were sneaking around and that she was still with another man. It had everything to do with that one little secret she still hadn't gained the courage to tell Adam. 

Three Hours Later - Back at the Hotel 

Amy sat numbly on her hotel room bed, her hands twisting uncomfortably in her lap. She couldn't stop shaking as she thought about it, her stomach tied up in knots. She felt downright nauseous and conflicted. 

She had to tell him. She knew she had to. There was no other choice, and damn it, he deserved to know the truth... So did Mandy. 

She was expecting him at any moment - and then there would be no more hiding, no more deceit and keeping of the truth. Her gaze swept across the room, to the door behind which her daughter lay sound asleep, as she'd gotten a tiny suite with adjoining bedrooms. And then, her heart thundered in her chest as she heard the knocking at the door. It was him... He was here. 

The redhead rose to answer, and she tried to smile as he entered. She quickly closed and locked the door behind him, feeling slightly faint as she turned and faced the tall blond man. She had to do this... She repeated it in a mantra in her head. This was what she needed to do. She only hoped he wouldn't end up hating her. She didn't know if she could survive with him hating her. 

"Hey, babe," he said softly, inching closer to her, his large hands instantly on her face. He gently tilted her head up to gaze into her eyes, noting the expression within. He frowned at the anxiety he saw in those beautiful hazel depths. "What's wrong?" 

"I..." She shook her head, her eyes quickly filling with tears. She couldn't take it any longer, couldn't take the guilt, the deception. "... Adam, there's something... There's something I need to tell you." 

"Okay..." he said softly, his expression growing serious and concerned as he gently released her. He wondered what on earth could be so upsetting to her that she needed to get off her chest. He moved closer to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it, his hands folding on his knees as he eyed her. 

Amy felt faint again, and as though she were about to get downright sick. She swallowed hard, realizing with dismay how very dry her throat had suddenly become. Her eyes, however, were a different story, as twin tears suddenly spilled down her cheeks. Inwardly, she prayed he wouldn't despise her, wouldn't decide he wanted nothing more to do with her. She wouldn't be able to handle that. 

Slowly, she lowered herself to sit down beside the blond man, her head bowed. She stared at her hands for a beat as she began. 

"Adam, I've been hiding something from you for a long time." She swallowed again, raising her head to meet his eyes, and she saw him wince, tenderness in his own as her tears spilled. "It's... Oh, God. Please don't hate me," she begged, soft sobs finally breaking free. 

He reached out, placing a gentle but large hand on her shoulder and in her long red hair that spilled over it. 

"I could never hate you, Ames... What's wrong? What is it?" he asked softly. "Tell me..." 

Her voice was slightly choked after a moment as she spoke again. 

"Mandy..." 

The Canadian arched a brow in confusion. Had something happened to the little girl? 

"What about Mandy?" 

"She... She's yours... Adam, Mandy is your daughter..." 

Part 26

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	26. Chapter 26

Adam blinked, at a complete loss for words for long seconds as he simply stared into Amy's tearful hazel eyes. Had he heard her correctly? No, he couldn't have... What he thought he'd just heard her say couldn't possibly... 

"What?" 

The redhead tilted her head to the right as she continued to look into his eyes, the emotion nearly choking her up. She felt her heart breaking at the expression on his face, as he suddenly frowned as though he were getting angry. 

"I'm so sorry, Adam... I'm so sorry for lying to you all these years, for keeping the truth from you, but... oh, God." She shook her head, her right hand flying up to her hair, some stray strands falling into her eyes. "I never meant to deceive you, or-" 

"Wait a minute... Are you kidding me?" he asked. "Mandy is my daughter?" 

Amy's words died on her lips, her breath catching in her throat. Silently, she nodded. 

He took a deep breath as he absorbed all of this unbelievable information. It felt so incredibly surreal, as though he were dreaming it all. He gazed down wordlessly at the floor, as though studying the carpet, a million thoughts swirling through his head. 

The redhead sat there beside him, trying her best not to panic as she kept her gaze on the tall blond man. Why wasn't he speaking? What was going on in his head right about now? She didn't even blink as she waited... She couldn't take it - he had to say something, and soon. It was killing her that he was so silent. 

Finally, she got her wish as he raised his head moments later. He turned his gaze toward her, his emerald green eyes fixing on her, and a most displeased expression crossed his handsome face. 

"I don't believe this," he muttered. He shook his head, his eyes hardening as he met her teary hazel eyes. "All this time... All these years... You... you actually kept my daughter away from me?" 

Amy shook her head, although she knew his words were spoken true. She'd done exactly what he was accusing her of - and she felt like complete and utter shit for it. 

"Adam, I'm sorry," she cried. "I never meant to-" 

"You never meant to, but you did," he snapped, his expression quickly transforming from anger to sorrow. He couldn't believe this... He was a father... He was the father of a six-year-old girl and he'd never even known her until a few short months ago. It was all enough to make his head spin. "So, that night," he continued, "we made love and produced Mandy... Oh, God." He lowered his head once again, emotion swelling up inside of him. He was in complete and utter shock. Actually, a myriad of emotions were going through him - shock, dismay, horror, anger, regret, frustration... But by God, he loved little Mandy. He truly and fully loved that little girl. She was such an angel. 

"Adam?" Amy somehow managed to stop her silent weeping long enough to shift closer to him, her small hand coming up to grip his bicep. She pulled at him slightly, turning him a bit so as to face her. Her heart nearly stopped as he turned his head to face her, as she suddenly became aware of the tears on his face. Dear lord, he was actually crying... She moved still closer to him, her throat constricting with emotion. "Baby." She leaned against his strong body, her face nuzzling against his shoulder as she clung to him. Inside, she was praying despite being non-religious. 'Please... oh, God, please let him forgive me,' she thought. Now that she finally had him back in her life, in her heart, she knew she could never let him go. He was the father of her child, definitely her soulmate, and the love of her life. It would destroy her if he were to walk away from her now. 

Suddenly, the blond man pulled away from her, and her heart sank as she watched him rise from the bed and to his feet. So, this was it... He was going to leave - and he would probably be out of her life forever. She held her breath, her heart nearly stopping as she waited for him to say something. 

"I want to see her." 

"What?" Her eyes widened at his words, as she'd been expecting something completely different to emerge from his lips. Gone was the anger he'd displayed toward her only moments earlier. There were still tears in his green eyes, falling onto his cheeks, and she winced. 

"I want to see her," Adam repeated. "I want to see my daughter." 

The redhead stood up beside him and nodded. 

"Okay... of course. Of course you can see her," she said softly. She reached up to wipe away some of the tears on her face as she led him to the door across the way, adjoining them to their child. 

There was a small night light glowing from a fixture near the bed, modestly illuminating the room. The tall blond man's heart softened as he stood just over the bed, his gaze on her. She was so precious - and she was sound asleep, by the looks of it. She was laying on her back, her golden hair spread out on the pillow like a fan. A stuffed dog was clutched under her small arm, giving her comfort. 

Amy watched quietly as he knelt down by the side of the bed, his hand snaking out to gently caress Amanda's long, soft hair away from her face. His gesture was so tender, so beautiful as he watched over his daughter, she was again overcome by tears. 

"Oh, God..." he said softly, emotion getting the better of him again as well. He couldn't believe it as he gazed down into the girl's beautiful face. She was his - his daughter. He kept his gaze on her for long, long moments, turning his head away only long enough to look up at Amy, the redhead standing just behind him and slightly to his side. 

She held her breath, able to detect tears still shining on his cheeks as he gazed up at her. He looked so... pensive, as though about to ask her something. 

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" His voice was soft as he voiced the question. 

She shook her head, opening her mouth to speak, but nothing would come out for the moment. 

"Damn it, Amy... I would have wanted to be there for you - during the pregnancy, and..." He glanced back at their daughter for a beat before speaking again. "... Damn it, I missed her birth, her first words, first steps." 

The redhead felt absolutely awful. She recalled him having told her that he himself had grown up without a father. This had to be even tenfold difficult for him. 

"I want her to know," he said. "I want her to know I'm her father." 

"Okay," the redhead said, nodding. She reached up to wipe away some more tears. This would no doubt be difficult, but she knew it was the right thing. Mandy did have to know the truth - and she deserved to know Adam was her father, and to have a relationship with him as such. 

The blond man stood back up and turned toward Amy, grabbing gentle hold of her arm and steered her toward the door. 

"I don't want to wake her up... Come on." 

They made their way quietly out of the room, and Adam closed the door silently behind him. They returned to the bed, standing over it, and Adam wiped the tears from his eyes. Afterward, he gazed down into the redhead's face. She looked so weary and upset - and scared. He could see the naked fear and insecurity on her lovely face. 

"Ames?" 

She calmed a bit at his usage of the nickname. Certainly, he wouldn't call her that if he was still angry, or if he meant to walk out on her. 

"You... you're not going to leave, are you?" she asked in a small, tentative voice. 

He softened at the look in her eyes, the tone of her voice. And in those hazel orbs, he could clearly see how very much she truly loved him. 

"No," he said, backing up the word with a shake of his head. "I'm not going anywhere," he continued. "I'm afraid I'm in this thing for the long haul." He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her against him and rested his chin on the top of her head as she clung to him. 

Part 27

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	27. Chapter 27

"I think we should tell Mandy the truth as soon as possible." 

Adam's firmly spoken words struck Amy momentarily speechless and still as she gazed into his eyes. It was the morning after she'd revealed to him that he was in fact her daughter's father. The tall blond man had spent the night here, in her hotel room, in her bed, though they hadn't done anything. That was, they'd done nothing more than talk, hold one another and sleep. It seemed that, one moment, the redhead felt numb, while the next, she felt a measure of relief - a huge, massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders. 

"It's only fair," the blond man went on when she still didn't speak. "I'm her father, and she deserves to know that, and we deserve to have the kind of parent-child relationship we should have had over the last six years." 

Amy closed her eyes slowly, trying her best to just relax. How were they going to tell Mandy without the girl mentioning something to Matt when he came back? She was only a six-year-old, after all, and young children didn't have the capability of lying or hiding things - keeping secrets. Amy only wished to be able to tell Matt the truth herself before Amanda let on to him. 

She took a deep breath, held it for a beat, and then exhaled. She felt Adam's warm, soft fingers twining through hers as they continued to lay on their backs beside one another on the bed. She opened her eyes, squeezing his hand gently, and nodded. 

"We'll tell her together," she said in a soft voice. 

The Canadian nodded. 

"That's how it should be." 

He felt a rush of tenderness as he turned his body around to full face her. Releasing her hand, he pressed his palm to her cheek, and he gazed down into her eyes deeply, his breath warm against her face. Finally, he lowered his head to hers to place a soft, sweet, lingering kiss on her warm, moist lips. He sighed as she responded, her hand coming up to caress his long hair. He deepened the kiss, and that was when she pulled back, as though she'd been burned. 

"Adam, no," she protested, sitting up and shaking her head. "She's in the next room." 

"Yeah, and?" he said softly, teasingly, a gleam in his emerald eyes. "How do you think she got here?" 

The redhead sucked in a breath, swatting him in the chest. 

"That's not what I meant!" she said in a loud whisper. He was incorrigible - incorrigible, but so damned adorable and irresistible. "But what if she wakes up and comes out here and sees us kissing?" 

Adam shrugged. 

"Again, I guess we'd just tell her the truth." 

The redhead simply stared at him. 

"The truth?" she echoed. "You mean that Mommy is seeing you while she's still with Matt?" Her own words hurt her heart. 

"What we'd tell her," the blond man said, sitting up as well to pull her against him, "is that you and I love each other very much and you're not with Matt anymore." He gazed down into her face, one hand coming up to tilt her head up at the chin. She had no choice but to meet his eyes. And she couldn't, for the life of her, look away. He was the most beautiful and special man she'd ever known. 

Amy closed her eyes as he closed that tiny distance between them with his lips, and they met hers in a passionate kiss. Instantly, she melted and responded with equal fervor - and this time, she didn't dare to pull away. 

Part 28

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	28. Chapter 28

Mandy would be going back home that late afternoon, so Amy agreed that they would tell her beforehand. 

Now that the time had finally arrived, the redhead was full of anxiety. This would not be as difficult as it had been to tell Adam the truth, but it would be hard nonetheless. 

The tall blond man seemed so full of anticipation, but he hadn't really given much thought to the little girl's inevitable reaction. Amy could only imagine what it would feel like, even for a child as young as Mandy, to be told one man was her father when she'd lived her entire young life thinking another was. 

They congregated in the redhead's hotel room to do it. It was still morning, and Amanda was barely awake. In fact, the child was still on her bed. 

Amy knelt at her daughter's beside, her heart pounding nervously as she reached out to shake the girl awake. Adam stood directly behind her, still and silent as he eyed his daughter. He still could hardly believe she was actually his... It absolutely took his breath away. 

"Mandy, sweetie... wake up, honey." The redhead gently, lovingly stroked the little girl's soft, fine blonde hair from her forehead. 

A pair of large but sleepy hazel eyes opened and blinked up at her. 

"Mommy..." 

"Good morning, baby," she said softly with a smile. "It's time to get up." 

Little Amanda yawned and rubbed at her eyes as she pushed into a sitting position. Her stuffed dog was right by her side, partly on the pillow. And then she removed her hands and realized her mother was not the only person in her room. 

"Uncle Adam!" she exclaimed. Her little face brightened at the sight of the tall blond man. 

Adam smiled brightly and came to kneel beside Amy at her bedside. 

"Hey, blondie... Good morning." 

"Good morning!" 

Amy bit her lip anxiously, her stomach in knots, yet doing flip flops as well. How was her daughter going to react? And of course, there was only one way to find out for certain. 

"Mandy," she began, "we have something to tell you... something very, very important." She reached down at her side for Adam's hand and gripped it tightly. Lord knew, she needed all the support and love she could get from him right now. 

The tall blond man glanced at her tenderly as he gave her much smaller hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. And just by that contact alone, she felt somewhat better - definitely more confident. 

"Sweetheart, what we're going to tell you might be hard for you to understand..." 

Mandy cocked her head as she looked into her mother's eyes. Amy couldn't even imagine what she must be wondering. "Well, I need you to listen very carefully, okay?" 

The girl nodded wordlessly. 

The redhead swallowed hard, all her unease flooding back to her. Her mouth seemed suddenly dry as ashes. She was downright fearful of being struck incapable of speaking at all. 

Adam gazed at her, knowing just how she was feeling. He could tell by her voice and how it had begun to waver slightly, but even more so in the way she was suddenly shaking - not full out spasms, but she was shaking ever so slightly regardless. My God, she was positively terrified. Yet he knew it had a lot more to do with Matt Hardy than it did Amanda. 

"Let me," he said gently. He focused his gaze on Mandy and heard Amy release a deep sigh. "Mandy, I'm your real daddy." 

That was it... He just let it out so quickly and more calmly than Amy could believe, as though he himself hadn't just learned of being a father. He said the words unbelievably easily, effortlessly. Where he got such comfort in admitting such a shocking confession, she would never comprehend. 

Amanda blinked, her face not showing any signs of surprise. She didn't even speak, ask any questions as the redhead had imagined she would. 

"Mandy?" she asked. 

"Mommy... U-Uncle Adam...?" 

"Do you understand, blondie?" Adam asked, one of his large hands snaking out to gently caress the girl's hair. "Matt is not your real daddy... but I am." 

The little girl looked at him quietly for a beat. Then, "You're my real daddy, Uncle Adam?" She asked the question as though it were a foreign concept - which it no doubt was for a six-year-old's little mind. 

"Yes," he replied with a nod. 

Amy interjected as she grabbed the little girl's hand, a look of concern on her face. 

"Mandy, it's true - Adam is your daddy. I know you don't understand, but someday, I will explain it to you. Okay, sweetie?" 

The girl picked up her stuffed dog and nodded. 

"Baby, I want you to do something for me. Can you do something for Mommy?" 

Amanda nodded again. 

"Don't say anything to Daddy about this, okay?" 

Adam's guard shot up at the mention of 'Daddy,' as he knew she was referring to Matt. But of course, he was who Mandy had known as being that role for all her young life. However, he also knew that, from here on in, things were going to change. He only hoped it would all be a smooth process. 

Part 29

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	29. Chapter 29

"She seemed to take the news pretty well." 

Amy looked up to meet Adam's green eyes at his words. They were in his hotel room after the show, eating a late room service meal. Mandy had been picked up by Linda to return home hours earlier. 

She shrugged. Honestly, she had little idea of how to react to their daughter's reaction. Amanda was only six, so she probably didn't fully understand by a large margin. 

"I guess you're right," the redhead said, but her mind was so distracted. Matt would be returning within a day, and she was worried and upset. She kept her head down, picking at her food. 

"Babe..." the tall blond man said gently. "... hey." 

Amy looked up to meet his eyes, which were gentle and filled with tenderness. Jesus... To her, it seemed that if anyone were to witness them together, and take notice of the look in those emerald orbs, the extent of his true feelings for her would be well more than evident. It sent ripples shivering up her spine. Never once in the five years she'd been with Matt had she detected even the slightest similarity in his eyes. It made her weak in the knees. She sighed and raised a hand to her brow. 

"I'm sorry, Adam," she said. "It's just that I'm a bit stressed out, what with Matt returning soon, and..." She raised her gaze to meet his eyes again and hoped she would be able to keep her emotions in check. It was no easy task, however. "... and I don't want this between us to end. I love you." 

The tall blond man smiled easily. His heart swelled with love for this woman. She was actually scared of what they'd just started ending so quickly. But he was not going to let that happen - not by a longshot. He believed in his heart that everything happened for a reason. He'd gotten Amy pregnant all those years ago on the one night they'd slept together, and there was a reason they'd met up again after so long of being apart. He believed it all boiled down to fate - he and Amy belonged together. He, Amy and Mandy - they were destined to be a family. 

"I love you, too," he said, his gaze drinking her in languidly. He reached across the small table to grasp her hand, his long fingers interlacing with hers. "And this-" He gestured with his free hand. "-us... it's not gonna end - at all. This is only the beginning. Do you honestly think I would just give you up after waiting so many years to have you again?" 

A somewhat bashful smile touched the redhead's lips as she shook her head in answer to his question. 

The blond man released her hand as he pushed back from the table. He reached for her again, and she allowed him to lead her to the bed, where they sat on its edge. 

"Not gonna happen," Adam assured her, meaning the two of them splitting up. He hooked a finger under her chin, tipping her head up. She bit her lip, her hazel eyes swimming with deep emotion. "I'm only sorry I wasn't there for you... I... I wish I'd been around for Mandy's birth." 

The redhead shook her head. 

"That was my fault," she said guiltily. If only she'd never gone to Mexico... 

"I wish I could have been there for you - with you," he went on. "But you had someone there for the birth, right?" 

Amy lowered her eyes as she slowly shook her head. 

"N-no," she admitted, and a knife twisted in the blond man's heart. 

"You mean you were all alone? Oh, Ames..." 

"She came a few days early," she explained. "My mom was going to be there as my coach, but..." 

"Baby..." he crooned. He pulled her against him, his embrace tight as he imagined how difficult their daughter's birth must have been for her. Damn it, she'd been all alone - and probably frightened as hell. "God, I wish I'd been there for you. I... I missed out on my daughter's birth, and... her first words... her first steps... first smile..." He shook his head as he met her eyes again. "... I just wish I'd have been there." 

The redhead blinked with emotion, her throat constricted. How very and truly and deeply she loved this man. For the thousandth time, she wondered what might have happened had she never gone off to Mexico. 

Adam wrapped his arms around her, drawing her against him, and she rested her head on his strong shoulder. His hands were soft and gentle in her hair, and then he spoke to her again. His words came straight from his heart. 

"Amy, I want to marry you." 

"Wh-what?" She pulled out of his embrace abruptly as she gaped at him, shocked. Had she heard him correctly? "You... you..." 

"I love you so much, Ames... I want to marry you, and..." 

She felt tears finally pricking behind her eyelids. She was at a complete loss for words. 

"... I want us - the three of us - to be a real family," he continued. "Damn it, but I often wonder what might have happened if we hadn't been separated six years ago." 

"I... So do I!" she exclaimed. Her heart was positively bursting with excitement... and love. 

Adam shook his head, sorrow on his face as he ran a hand through his long blond hair. 

"I know I keep saying this, but damn it, I wish I'd been there for Mandy's birth." 

"It's okay," she said with a soft smile, her right hand snaking up to cup his cheek. Their gazes met, her breath nearly lost at his handsomeness. "You're here now... And we can always have another baby - or babies." 

His heart soaring with the most intense, pure love, the blond man dipped his head to capture her lips in a deeply passionate kiss. 

Part 30

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	30. Chapter 30

Adam awoke the next morning slowly, though he didn't want to get up or even move. He stretched out a little on the hotel bed, reaching an arm out for her, wanting to envelop her much smaller, feminine body against him - but then he realized she wasn't there. 

Reluctantly, the blond man opened his eyes and squinted as he looked to the side of the bed opposite him. Sure enough, she wasn't there. 

He turned over, onto his right side and sat up, the blanket slipping down to his waist. And that was when he saw her. She was standing by the window, her back to him as she stared out the window. Judging by the slight slump of her slender shoulders, Adam could see she was upset. 

"Amy?" 

The redhead stirred for a beat, barely turning to look at him from over her right, tattooed shoulder. He could see just the faintest bit of her lovely profile though her long red hair seemed to curtain it from his view. 

The blond man rose from the bed and made his way to her. Slowly, he stepped up behind her, his arms encircling her waist as he lowered his head to hers, breathing deeply of the fragrance of her rich auburn hair. She smelled so very good - just the same as she tasted... The same as she was. 

He felt her shudder just a bit beneath his touch. Concerned and curious, he moved his face to her right ear and spoke softly, soothingly. 

"What is it, baby? Why do you look so sad?" 

Amy shivered. The sound of his voice as he whispered in her ear, the feel of his hot breath therein, made her feel weak. She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. 

"Today is... God, what am I going to do when he finds out? What if we can't be together?" She choked out a sob, the tears finally breaking free. 

Releasing his grip on her waist, Adam gently turned her around to face him. Her teary gaze was at his bare, chisled chest for a beat before she raised it to meet his green eyes. 

"No matter what his reaction - no matter what he says or does, we're going to be together," the tall blond man assured her. His tone was soft but firm, and he forced her to hold their eye contact by cupping her face in his large, warm hands. "Damn it, Ames - we're meant to be together... And even though a small part of me is sorry because Matt Hardy is my friend..." He shook his head, his handsome face full of determination. "... Well, he's just going to have to accept it. 'Cause you and me? We're real and true and forever." 

Hot, scalding tears slid down the redhead's cheeks as she absorbed his strongly spoken words. Despite his sweet words, which touched her more deeply than anything she could ever imagine, soft sobs shook her body. It hurt so terribly thinking that she could possibly lose him. 

"I-I... I don't want to lose you," she managed. 

"You won't," he stated firmly, his hands gripping her shoulders. He pulled her gently to him, sweeping her into his embrace and dipping his head to kiss her. He felt her shiver as he went for her lips, and she kissed him back with equal fervor. Next, Adam placed his lips on her cheeks, her eyes - and kissed away all her tears. He pulled back for a beat to gaze down into her now bloodshot hazel orbs, his thumbs brushing away still more tears as he cradled her head in his strong but gentle hands. 

"Shh..." he soothed, then hushed her with a kiss so intensely passionate, it left her breathless. 

Very soon after, she all but forgot about her fears, and her soft sobs subsided as she gave herself in to the emotion, the passion between them. And God, she never wanted these moments to end. 

The blond man let out a soft groan of pleasure as he pressed his body more tautly against her. He was already rock-hard. And he would make love to her until he had no more energy to expend, make her forget all about her irrational fears of them being torn apart. 

"God, I love you..." His voice was soft and husky as he spoke, his hands still cupping her face, his own face hovering mere centimeters from hers. Slowly, he removed the nightgown she'd worn to bed, his boxers soon following. They continued kissing as they wended their way back to the bed, and he hovered just over her as she laid back and reached up for him. 

In seconds, he filled her completely, his breath held as he allowed her a moment to adjust to him. Then, their lips meeting again, Amy clasped her legs tightly around his waist, urging him. He started their lovemaking with slow, easy thrusts, not wanting to hurt her, but she let out a moan and reached back, grabbing his ass with both hands as she prompted him to move faster. 

It went on and on, and in no time, she was crying out his name, her head flipping back in ecstasy. He soon followed, a growl escaping him as he emptied into her. 

Afterward, they lay sweaty in one another's arms, the redhead resting against the blond man. Adam pressed a kiss to her forehead, contentment and satisfaction the likes of which he couldn't imagine overtaking him. 

Then, suddenly, Amy's cell phone, on the nearby nightstand, began ringing. 

At first, she was going to ignore it - but what if there was an emergency with Mandy? She gently unentangled herself from the circle of the Canadian's arms to reach for her phone. A quick glance at the caller I.D. had her blanching pale whitish-gray. She shifted her fearful hazel eyes toward Adam. 

"It's Matt..." 

Part 31

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	31. Chapter 31

Amy felt like a bundle of nerves as she made her way through the arena hallway. 

Matt was back. She hadn't answered his call that morning but had returned it later, lying with an explanation that she'd been in the shower when he'd made his earlier call. 

She hadn't seen him all day due to the traveling she'd had to do. But now, she was here at the arena for the night's RAW - and she knew Matt was here as well. 

The redhead sighed as she turned the corridor and spotted the room number the Hardy brother had given her as his designated locker room for the night. This was it, there was no turning back. And the way she saw it, the sooner she do this, the better. 

She steeled herself as she pushed through the door. And there was Matt, inside and sitting down. He smiled and stood up to greet her. 

"Hey, stranger..." 

"Hi, Matt..." 

Amy held her breath as the man approached her, knowing full well he was going to try to kiss her hello. The truth was, at this point, the mere thought of kissing him was enough to make her sick. She squeezed her eyes shut as he neared her. Sure enough, she could feel him moving in for a kiss, his breath warm against her face. 

"So... How were all your trips?" she blurted, quickly moving back and away from him. Instinctually, she kept herself at a safe distance from the man. 

Matt frowned, and she knew he had to obviously be onto the fact that something was up - that she was somehow different. 

He nodded. 

"They were all right," he replied with a short nod. A smile came to his face. "But I couldn't wait to get back with the roster. I missed you," he said. He stepped closer to her, but the redhead took a step back. 

"What is it? What's wrong?" the dark-haired man asked, concern written on his face. Truth be told, he'd noticed a change in Amy even before he'd left for his numerous appearances two weeks earlier. Ever since the night she'd gotten sick just before, he'd thought he'd detected some strange difference in her. 

The diva let out a resigned sigh. 

"Matt, we need to talk." 

"Uh oh... Here we go," the man muttered. "I guess I should sit down for this, huh?" 

She shrugged. 

"It's up to you." 

Matt opted to take a seat and leaned forward to await whatever she had to say. 

Amy stood there silently for a beat, her hands clasping up in front of her as she thought furiously. Then, lowering herself to the couch to sit beside him, she spoke. 

"Matt, you're a great guy, and we've been together so long now, but... I can't stay with you." 

He frowned, then shook his head. 

"So, you're breaking up with me? Is that it?" 

The redhead licked her lips nervously, her heart hammering in her chest. Then, slowly, she nodded, somehow managing to stay strong as she held his gaze. 

"Why?" Matt demanded. He was beginning to show just the slightest little trace of annoyance. 

"I... there's someone else," she admitted softly. 

"There's someone else!" Those certainly hadn't been the words he'd been expecting to hear her say. He leaned closer to her, glaring into her hazel eyes. "Who is it?" 

Amy sucked in a deep breath, cold fear coursing through her. She'd been afraid of this. She surprised herself as she responded in an instant. 

"It... it's Mandy's father." 

"What?" Matt's eyes grew wide as he raised his hands, both of them going up to his head at her words. This was just unbelievable! "Mandy's father... I thought you two were estranged all these years!" 

"We were," she said, her tone soft. 

"Well, where is he, huh? Where is the son of a bitch? He walked out on you six years ago and never looked back, Amy! How could you possibly reconcile with a bum like that! He abandoned you and Amanda!" 

"N-no..." she denied, shaking her head. 

"Where is he?" 

The redhead bit her lip, hoping she wouldn't stutter. 

"It doesn't matter-" 

"It matters to me!" Matt shouted, his face reddened in anger. "Tell me, damn it!" 

"He's... he's right here in the arena," she managed, her heart threatening to break free from her chest. 

"What? Oh, he's in attendance in the crowd tonight? Well, that's just-" 

"No," she interrupted, blinking. A strange calm came over her. "He's an employee in the WWE." 

"What? No," he laughed sarcastically. "Next you're gonna tell me he's a wrestler!" 

Amy didn't respond verbally this time. However, she didn't have to, as Matt could see it all in her eyes. 

"Oh, my God... He is... he is a wrestler," he breathed. "Who is he?" 

Amy shook her head, trying her best to explain. But he wouldn't have it. 

"Well, let's see... From what I've heard, there's only one guy you've been spending a lot of time with since I've been away. But it couldn't be him now, could it? It couldn't be Adam!" 

The redhead glanced down, biting her lip again. And then, Matt rose wordlessly, fleeing from the room before she could do a thing. 

Part 32

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	32. Chapter 32

Adam had just finished sorting through his bag and selected his tights for the night when he heard a loud sound. The door suddenly burst open, and he saw Matt Hardy walk into his locker room. 

"Hey, man-" 

The tall blond man's words were cut short as the dark-haired man silenced him with a single punch to the face. Shocked, Adam fell to the floor, clutching his jaw. He suddenly became aware of Amy's voice as well, the redhead letting out a scream as she ducked into the room. 

"It's you? It's you!" Matt yelled, his face red in his fury. Both his hands were balled into fists as he glared down at Adam. 

The tall blond man staggered to his feet, Amy rishing to his side in an instant. The first thought that zipped through his mind was that the redhead must have told the older Hardy about them over these last two weeks. 

"You fucking bastard! I knew you knew each other six years ago, but..." Matt shook his head. "... you scum - you abandoned them!" 

The blond man reached a hand back up to his face, his jaw sore from the blow the other man had administered. The redhead was grabbing onto his arm, craning her neck so as to get a better look at the probably darkening bruise he was developing. 

"What...? No," he denied, shaking his head. 

"You're a miserable excuse for a man!" the dark-haired man shouted as he pointed an accusatory finger at the Canadian. 

"Matt, stop it!" Amy cried. "Adam didn't know! He didn't know!" 

"You're only protecting him because you two are fucking again!" 

"No!" the redhead exclaimed. "He didn't know until just over a week ago! I-I never told him about Mandy." 

Matt glared from Amy to Adam and then back to the diva again. His head was spinning from all of this. He felt as though his world were collapsing all around him. It was so overwhelming. Then, recovering, he glared coldly at Adam, his dark eyes hard. 

"I bet you're not even her biological father," he spat. 

"I am," the blond man responded. He stood his ground as he stared into Matt's eyes. 

"No... Let me tell you something," the Hardy continued, his voice and eyes still cold as he pointed in Adam's face. "I may not be her natural father, but..." He huffed a sarcastic laugh. "... even if you are, I am more a father to that little girl than you could ever even hope to be." 

The taller man clenched his hands into fists. A vein began to visibly throb in his temple. 

"We'll see about that," he countered in a low tone. "She's my daughter, and that's something you could never take away from me or Mandy." 

A derisive laugh escaped the darker man as he then shifted his gaze on his now former girlfriend. 

"You've really got him wound around your little finger, don't you?" 

The redhead opened her mouth to speak, but no words emerged. What was he talking about? She noticed the tall blond visibly stiffen, however. 

"In all seriousness," Matt went on, his gaze darkening and hardening, "I doubt Amanda is your daughter." He gave Amy a disgusted look. 

Adam's green eyes grew hard with further anger as he glared at the man. Despite the fact that he knew the shorter man had every right to be so mad, he'd still decked him - and at the moment, he was being a prick. And it wasn't so much for himself that Adam was getting pissed off - it was for Amy. In so many words, Matt was basically calling her a slut. And that did not sit well with the tall blond man. 

"I want a paternity test done!" the Hardy suddenly shouted. Again, his face grew red with rage. 

"Matt," Amy broke in softly. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "You're not her father - you know that." 

"I don't give a shit!" came the shouted response. Matt's voice boomed so loudly, the redhead nearly jumped back. Adam, on the other hand, still stood still and strong as he barely blinked at the exclamation. 

"That's all fine and good," the blond man said evenly. "You want me to take a paternity test?" He stepped closer to Matt, and Amy stood just behind him, still gripping nervously and securely onto his hand. "That's just fine... Bring it on." 

Part 33

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	33. Chapter 33

Jeff Hardy looked up at the sound of his locker room door opening forcibly, seeing that it was only his brother who'd stepped inside. However, Matt looked furious. 

"Hey, man... What's wrong?" he asked, an eyebrow arched. When he'd seen the older man earlier, he'd been nothing but smiles, all happy. He knew Matt had missed being in the ring, and missed all of his friends and Amy in particular. 

"What's wrong?" the other man echoed angrily. He glared at his younger brother, gesturing wildly with both hands. "Everything is wrong, Jeff!" He shook his head, his voice lowering in tone. "Everything..." 

"What do you mean?" the colorful-haired young man asked. 

"Just like I said - everything! I just found out a few things... For starters," he went on, turning to face his brother, his brown eyes hardening. "Adam thinks he's Amanda's father!" 

"Oh," Jeff replied casually. "Well, you know? He is." 

The dark-haired man nearly did a double-take as he gaped at him. He stared at him wordlessly for a full minute, his mouth dropping open, before he finally rediscovered his voice. 

"You knew? You knew that!" 

The other man nodded. 

"How?" Matt demanded, his face still reflecting the shock he felt. "Did he or Amy tell you?" 

Jeff shook his head. 

"No, they didn't say a word. But it's pretty obvious." 

The older Hardy narrowed his eyes, not comprehending. 

"How is it obvious!" he asked incredulously. 

"C'mon, man... Just look at Mandy - really look at that little girl. Doesn't she look an awful lot like Adam?" 

Matt still simply stared at his younger brother, not speaking a word in response. He looked at Jeff as though he were an alien from the planet Pluto. 

"Seriously, Matt... I never really noticed until I saw the two of them together. Look at little Mandy - the blond hair, some of the facial features... She's even kinda tall for a little girl her age," the rainbow-headed man pointed out. "She looks like Amy, or at least I always thought so, but she looks even more like Adam." 

The elder brother stood there like a stone, his eyes taking on a faraway look as he stared at nothing and considered everything Jeff had just said. It was all beginning to sink in, really sink into his brain when he suddenly got hold of his senses again. He shook his head, the anger beginning to seep back in. 

"No... That can't be... I won't believe it!" he shouted. 

"But Matt-" 

"No 'but Matts!' Know what I did? I just confronted that bastard, and I demanded there be a paternity test!" 

"Why?" Jeff questioned. 

The darker Hardy brother rolled his eyes. Why did his sibling always have to be so naive? But even more importantly, how was he so perceptive all the time? And on that note, how could he be so perceptive and yet so naive simultaneously? He could swear Jeff had a strange wonder about him - he'd known, or at least sensed that Adam could be Mandy's father even before all of this mess had happened! 

"Why do you think?" 

Jeff shook his head. 

"I mean," he elaborated, running a hand through his red-orange-yellow locks, "you know what the outcome's gonna be. She's his kid, not yours." 

"Shut up!" Matt yelled, raising a hand clenched into a fist. Damn it, he was seconds away from punching his own brother. He was well aware of that, and shamed, he lowered his arm. "I'm sorry, Jeff. I know I'm not the father... but I'll be damned if Adam Copeland is!" 

Amy rushed back into the locker room, concern evident on her face and guilt coursing through her. She instantly came to sit beside the tall blond man on the couch, the ice pack raised in her left hand. 

"I'm so sorry this happened," she said softly. She winced as he took the ice pack from her, raising it to the side of his jaw. He was beginning to develop a purplish bruise where Matt had punched him. 

"No, no..." Adam protested, shaking his head. He turned to fully face her, noting the sorrow in the redhead's hazel eyes. "... Don't apologize. This was not your fault, Ames." When she shook her head and began to speak against his last words, he raised his free hand, silencing her with a finger to her lips. "Shh... You did what you had to do. And it's not your fault." 

Her gaze locking on his, she still looked sad and unconvinced. 

"Hey," the blond man said, lowering the ice pack from his face, "telling him the truth was the right thing to do. Besides, it's the only way we can be together without sneaking around and being dishonest - right?" 

The redhead nodded, and she sucked in a light breath at the thought of what Matt had insisted upon. At this point, she didn't care what the dark-haired man thought of her, but it hurt her heart when she thought that Adam might think something that wasn't true. 

"I'm so sorry, regardless... I'm sorry he's insisting on a paternity test," she said. Her gaze found his green eyes and held them. "Adam, I hope you don't think... God, the way Matt made me sound! Adam, she's yours... There was no one else, I swear." 

"Shh..." He tossed the ice pack aside, to a small table just beyond and gathered her into his arms. "... I know," he said, hushing her with his right hand, which stroked gently over her long red hair. "I know, sweetie." He held her slightly back, just enough to gaze down into her worried hazel eyes. Damn it, she was really terrified he would believe what the other man had insinuated. 

"I don't want you to think-" 

"Shh," Adam hushed her again. He softened, his heart doing flip-flops as he gazed down upon her. He moved forward to claim her lips with his own, his breath leaving him in a drawn sigh as she instantly responded. 

Part 34

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	34. Chapter 34

Adam stood beside Amy as they waited for the car. As she did every Friday early evening, Linda would be bringing Mandy. 

The blond man felt a small smile tugging at his lips as the right automobile finally pulled up. He could immediately spot the little girl sitting up in the passenger's seat. She looked so tiny, almost engulfed within. Then, the car came to a stop, and Linda undid her lapbelt, unlocked the door and exited. She then proceeded to help Mandy, but the child didn't need any assistance. Amanda had undone her seatbelt and unlocked the door to bound out on her own. She ran directly to Amy first, the redhead kneeling to meet her with open arms. 

"Mommy..." the child cooed. 

Adam smiled as he watched them. It was such a precious scene. Then, his gaze focused toward the woman who was Amanda's nanny. Linda seemed to be eyeing him in a peculiar fashion. No doubt, the woman was wondering who he was. 

Mandy looked up at him after the hug she'd shared with her mother, an almost sheepish expression on her face. Just as she'd done when they'd first met, she shuffled her feet for a moment, and then, as the tall blond man knelt down at her level, a smile adorning his face, the little girl warmed up. Without a word, Mandy went right into his open arms, and she hugged him tightly. It seemed to Amy, as she watched on, that the little girl knew - she really knew and remembered who Adam really was... 

As the exchange went on, the redhead faced the nanny, who still looked perplexed. 

"Um... Linda... This is Adam Copeland," she said. 

The Canadian had just stood back up to full height, the child in his arms and playing with his long blond hair. He gave the woman a nod and a smile. 

"Hi... Nice to meet you." 

Linda smiled, but her eyes were still full of questions as she eyed the blond man and then shifted her gaze back to Amy. 

"Hello..." 

"Linda, Adam is Mandy's father," Amy plundered on. "Her real father." 

The nanny's face showed definite surprise, her mouth forming an O. She seemed on the verge of asking something but then apparently thought the better of it. 

"Oh... Wow," Linda said. It seemed she was nearly at a loss for words. But it certainly explained the odd resemblance she thought she could see between the tall man and little Amanda. "I'm glad to meet you." 

Adam gave the woman a still brighter smile, regarding her warmly. It was clear the nanny was plenty confused, but she didn't question. And Linda could see the man adored his daughter. Likewise, it certainly appeared to be a mutual thing, as Mandy seemed extremely comfortable with him. 

"Thanks again, Linda," Amy said. She smiled easily, shaking her head. "Things have been a little... crazy lately, but... Well, I don't know what we'd do without you." 

The older woman offered a smile, sensing that there was a whole lot more she didn't know about. However, she didn't ask any questions. She knew her boss and knew that Amy would share and confide in her if and when she felt the need. 

Moments later, the woman had bid them goodbye and left, leaving the three alone. 

Adam and Amy exchanged glances, and little Mandy simply clung onto the tall blond man. She seemed to be a bit sleepy and rested her head on his shoulder. 

"C'mon, let's get her inside," he said softly, nudging the redhead slightly. It felt so very good to have his daughter in his arms. 

Amy smiled at him, her heart melting at the sight of their child so obviously comfortable with him. My God, it was such a beautiful, precious sight to behold... They turned around to head back into the building, and then... 

"Oh, well isn't this sweet!" 

The redhead's heart sank at the sound of that voice. It belonged to none other than Matt, who stood nearby, several feet away. He glared openly at Adam and her. 

The tall blond man shot the Hardy a look of warning, his gaze shifting to the precious child in his arms. If the other man tried something with Amanda right here... Well, Adam didn't know what he might do. 

"Matt, no..." Amy said, her gaze shooting toward her daughter. Mandy didn't need to see or hear any unpleasantries between them. She hoped he would be reasonable. 

"Come on, let's just go on about our business," the tall blond man said discreetly to her. He started to resume the walk to the building, and the redhead kept to his side. 

"I can't believe you!" the angry man shouted. "You're just gonna walk away from me like that? Well, you, Amy Dumas, are nothing but a damned selfish, worthless bitch!" 

The redhead sucked in a breath through her teeth, more angry than she'd ever thought possible. She could handle Matt's tirade, the name-calling and verbal abuse - but she would not tolerate it happening in front of her six-year-old daughter. 

Casting a quick glance at Adam and Mandy, who was beginning to cry, she turned back. 

"We're not doing this now," she hissed, her face furious as she eyed him. 

"No? Oh, well, big surprise! Not only are you a slut and a coward - you're also an unfit mother!" 

Adam was having a difficult time keeping his own temper under control - but he had to - for Mandy's sake. The little girl was now sobbing, her face buried into the crook of his neck and his long hair. Gently, he soothed her with a soft hand stroking her back and with gentle verbal reassurances that everything was okay. 

Amy's hazel eyes glittered with rage as she inched toward Matt. Her gaze hard and unwavering, she did the only thing she felt and acted on sheer impulse - and she slapped him hard across the face. A red handprint was left on the dark-haired man's cheek. 

Then, silently, she returned to the man she loved and her daughter - her family - and they continued to the arena doors. 

Part 35

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	35. Chapter 35

Amy felt emotionally and physically exhausted and overwhelmed. The last two days had been so stressful - not that things had been smooth-sailing before. 

They'd gone to a clinic a few days earlier. Adam and Mandy had had a DNA test done, as Matt had demanded take place. The redhead knew without question that there was no necessity for this test whatsoever. Adam was the only man she'd been with six years earlier - the only man she'd been with when she'd conceived. Before him, she hadn't had sex with anyone for almost a year. Likewise, she hadn't slept with anyone after him until Matt - and she hadn't even met him until Mandy was nearly a year old. So, in her eyes, the whole idea of this paternity test was just ridiculous. The only purpose it served was to make her look like some kind of whore - which was exactly what Matt Hardy wanted to accomplish. All he was was an angry, bitter, jilted prick. This was his way of getting back at her... Nothing more, nothing less. But when the papers containing the DNA test results came back, she would be the one to have the last laugh between the two of them. 

Adam cast a glance her way. The tall blond man could read about a million different emotions on her lovely face. This was so hard for her, and it touched his heart. She was so desperately terrified still - scared that he wouldn't or didn't believe her that Amanda was really his. But he knew... Deep in his heart and mind alike, he knew. There was no doubt in his mind that their first night of passion all those years ago had resulted in that beautiful, precious child. 

"Calm down, babe..." His smile was easy and quick for her. His heartstrings tugged at the evident anxiety on her beautiful face. "Everything's going to be fine." 

"I know," the redhead replied. She wasn't the least bit worried about the test results. In fact, she would enjoy rubbing them right in Matt's smug face. She could understand him being upset, but it was unforgivable that he'd caused such a ruckus in front of Mandy. That was just plain wrong on so many different levels. 

Speaking of Mandy, the little girl was sound asleep on the hotel bed. To Adam, she looked like a little angel, all curled up on her right side, her stuffed dog clutched against her. Her long, fine blonde hair was mussed from sleep. She would have to be awakened shortly, however, as they needed to get her ready to go back home for the week. The tall blond man hoped to someday be able to bring the little girl to her school himself. Although Mandy was only in first grade, Amy had told him she got good grades, and Adam couldn't be more proud. 

A knock suddenly sounded at the door. Amy looked up sharply, fearful that it could be her ex-boyfriend. The Canadian held up a hand to her and strode over to the door. 

"Who is it?" 

"Federal Express," a male voice replied on the other side. "I have a package for a Ms. Dumas..." 

The tall blond man quickly turned back to Amy to exchange glances with her. The look in her hazel eyes said it all - this was it, the DNA results were here. He turned back to open the door. 

"Thank you." He accepted the manila package and reached into his pocket for his wallet, handing the delivery man a bill. 

Amy groaned. 

"I have to call Matt to come over here," she said disheartedly. The pushy dark-haired man had to be present for the reading of the results. And why was she feel apprehensive about that? She wanted to rub his damn face in it! She grabbed her cell phone and dialed his number. When he answered, she didn't bother to even say hello. 

"The test results are in," she said. "So I suggest you come over to our room - 342." 

Part 36

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	36. Chapter 36

"Well, I'm here," Matt said testily as Amy opened the door to see him. Her ex-boyfriend wore a look of irritation on his face. He stepped inside and past her, his eyes shifting from Adam to little Mandy, who was now awake and sitting up on the big bed. 

His eyes narrowed. The little girl seemed somehow wary of him. He thought he knew why, too... 

"So, you turned her against me, huh? Is that it?" 

Amanda grew scared at the hardness of the dark-haired man's tone. She drew her knees up to her chest, hugging herself in expectation of yet another fight between the grownups. 

"Matt, you're paranoid," the redhead stated as she came forward and sat down on the bed. She opened her arms to her daughter, who instantly moved over to allow her mother to gather her into her arms. 

"Well, whatever," Matt said. 

Adam glared at the other man. He realized that, no matter what they told him, Matt was going to believe whatever he was going to believe. 

He cleared his throat. He still held the manila envelope consisting of the DNA test results in his hand, and damn it, he wasn't going to wait any longer. He was sick and fucking tired of waiting. 

"Go ahead - open it," Matt said, a gleam of challenge in his dark brown eyes. 

Amy gave him a stern look as she held Mandy closer against her. It was just a damn shame that the little girl had to see such a bitter, vindictive side of the man who'd basically been like a father to her for her entire young life. 

The tall blond man wasted no more time as he ripped open the envelope. He reached inside, pulling out the sheath of papers within, his heart pounding uncontrollably in his chest. It wasn't that he was doubting Mandy's paternity, he was just nervous with anticipation at reading the truth - that she was his child. 

Amy gently stroked her daughter's soft blonde hair. Her heart leapt up into her throat at the anticipation of it all. They were about to confirm what she'd always known without question... She knew little Mandy had no idea of what was taking place right now - but that was all right. 

Adam rifled through the papers. Then, locating the exact information he sought, he spoke, reading aloud. 

"Adam Copeland... Amanda Dumas... probability of paternity is 99.9999 percent." He felt a measure of triumph and satisfaction, but more importantly, joy - his heart bursting with joy - as he looked Matt Hardy stright in the eye. "If that isn't clear enough for you - I am her father," he stated in a clear, strong voice. Had this jerk not been present, he probably would have broken into tears of joy. 

Amy nearly did so herself. She was slightly choked up as she hugged Mandy to her. She cast a look at Matt as he turned toward her. 

"I told you," she said. It honestly hurt that the dark-haired man had doubted her and questioned her sincerity. She'd never been the type to sleep around, and yet he'd made some attacks against her integrity. "I told you," the redhead repeated in a whisper. 

Matt stared wordlessly at Adam, his mouth running dry. He shifted his gaze over to Amy and Amanda, disbelief coursing through him. However, a spark of doubt struck him, and he inched closer to the tall blond man. 

"Just a minute... lemme see the papers myself." He reached a hand out, and an aggravated Adam gladly handed the forms to him. 

"Go right ahead." 

The elder Hardy took the papers, perusing them quickly. All the blood drained from his face as he saw the evidence - the truth... Adam Copeland was indeed the father of little Amanda. 

"Well, I'll be damned... I... I can't believe it." 

The blond man glanced at Amy and their daughter, and he and the redhead shared an unspoken communication. Then, Matt shuffled around a bit and started to speak again. 

"I guess it's true, then." 

"Correction," Adam said, "you know it's true." 

Matt swallowed hard and ran a hand through his hair. 

"Yeah... Look," he continued, his discomfort all too evident, "I'll leave ya'll alone for now." He started for the door, anxious to get out of there. 

The moment he was gone, Amy let out an audible sigh of relief. 

"Oh, God... I was so worried!" 

Adam felt a tiny smile touching his lips as he put the papers cementing the truth of himself and Mandy being father and daughter down and sat on the bed, joining them. 

"Why?" he asked curiously. He glanced from the redhead to Mandy, at whom he could now not stop staring. It was absolutely official - she was his. "Did you really fear I wasn't...?" 

"No, no," she said. "I was just afraid Matt was going to try to cause more trouble." 

"Ahh... Well," Adam said softly, love bursting at his heart for both of them. "Hang on tight, ladies - it's going to be a long, bumpy ride... But we're going to have a helluva time in our new life together." He winked at Mandy, who looked up at him, a little smile finally peaking on her face. He gave her nose a small, affectionate poke, causing her to giggle. 

Amy gazed at him with love shining in her eyes. For the first time in over six years, she was so unbelievably happy. 

Part 37

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	37. Chapter 37

During the night's RAW, Amy noticed how the locker room was absolutely buzzing. It seemed word of the truth of them had come out in the open far more quickly than she'd ever expected or anticipated. 

All around her, their co-workers and friends were whispering and speaking in discreet tones - some of them outrightly staring at her or Adam, or at both of them. It sort of unnerved her, yet at the same time, she didn't care... The way she saw it, she was finally free. She was with the man she truly loved, the father of her child. 

The redhead was glad, however, that Mandy was already gone. Linda had come by the arena a few hours earlier to pick the little girl up to go back home. Although, as Amy reminded herself, it wouldn't be home for much longer. She and Matt were obviously no longer going to be living together. And now that she was with Adam officially, they would be living with him - as one small, happy family. 

Now, she and Adam were traveling back to the hotel after the show. It was nice to get away from all of their peers and the gossip going on. 

The drive had been mostly silent, though comfortable. As the tall blond man drove, he reached over to her with his right hand, steering with his left. 

Amy felt his hand suddenly on her upper thigh, searching for her hand, and just about melted. She turned to face him and put her hand willingly in his much larger one. 

"You know," he said firmly, glancing away from the road quickly to meet her eyes in the darkness, "I don't care what anyone says. I really don't." 

"I know," she agreed. "I was just glad it wasn't going on in front of Mandy." 

"Oh, no matter what they say about us, one thing's for sure - everyone seems to love that little girl." He grinned, love swelling in his heart as he thought about his daughter. And how could everyone not love Amanda? The kid was undeniably precious and adorable - and irresistible. 

They reached the hotel in no time, but as they made their way inside together, several of their fellow WWE superstars were already there. Said superstars just stopped whatever conversations they'd been having to simply stare at them. Amy had to mentally admit that it embarrassed her - not the truth, or being with Adam - but the obvious gawking had her feeling majorly uncomfortable. She eyed the people sheepishly - most notably, Mark Jindrak, Charlie Haas, Jackie Gayda and Shelton Benjamin were watching them. Others were doing the same but not being quite so obvious about it. 

Adam, on the other hand, in vast contrast to her, did not seem the least bit phased. 

"Get a good look, people," he announced in a clear, steady tone. "Yes, Amy and I are together... yes, she left Matt Hardy to be with me... And yes, I am the father of Amanda." 

Amy's jaw dropped in shock as she simply eyed him. He didn't have to do this! 

"And you know what? I love Amy Dumas," he went on. "I love her, and she loves me, and I don't care what any of you - or anyone else, for that matter - think." With those words, he tugged the redhead against him, holding her with his one free hand and arm, and planted a deeply passionate kiss on her lips. He knew their co-workers were probably in shock, but the truth was, he didn't give a damn. 

Initially, Amy stiffened, but she melted so very quickly and kissed him back. She just couldn't help herself. But when she thought about it, why should she care? Why should it matter? Just as Adam had stated, they loved each other. 

It didn't take long at all for the superstars to turn away and disperse. Whether out of shame or regret, the tall blond man didn't know - nor did he really care. He reached for the diva's hand, tugging gently and wanting to just go on to their hotel room. 

The moment they arrived in their room, the tall blond man put down their bags and pulled her to him. Amy just about melted in his embrace, his arms tightening steadily around her. He moved his lips from hers, moving them to her neck, covering her throat with hot kisses. God, how she drove him wild. 

Amy's breath was nearly lost as she reached both hands up to his blond head. She held him there, her lips on his, and she nearly cried out as she again felt his tongue plunge into her mouth. She gasped at the feel of his excitement as he grew steadily harder against her. 

Adam kissed her with wild abandon, his lips and hands demanding as he lifted her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. He gently placed her on its edge, his emerald eyes full of desire as he gazed down at her. He knelt before her and went to kiss her again, but the beautiful redhead stopped him. 

The blond man eyed her questioningly, an almost pained expression on his exceptionally handsome face. 

"Before this goes any further," the redhead spoke softly. She bit her lip, her hazel eyes swimming with lust but also a bit of nervous anticipation. "I just want you to know... I stopped taking the Pill nearly a week ago." 

Adam blinked, his gaze steady as he absorbed her words. Then, a slow smile spread across his face. 

"God, I love you..." He rose up from his knelt position to settle his full weight above her much smaller body, nearly dying at the feel of her arms clasping around his neck. 

Part 38

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	38. Chapter 38

Adam held tightly to Amy, his heart pounding joyously as he kissed her hair, the nape of her graceful neck. They'd just made love and were laying in the hotel bed, basking in the afterglow, her back pressed against his front.

He loved her so much. He couldn't imagine being any happier than he was at that very moment. He praised whatever gods or force had brought him back together with the beautiful redhead - with her and little Mandy.

He encircled both arms around Amy's waist, silent and thoughtful as he listened to her breathing. Thoughts of their daughter brought something else to mind. He wasn't so sure how she would react to it, though.

"Ames?" He kept his voice soft, and he nuzzled her shoulder affectionately as he tightened his hold on her.

"Hmm?" She stirred to glance over her shoulder at him, then started to move even more. The blond man loosened his grip, and the diva turned fully around, a soft smile on her countenance as she met his emerald eyes. There was a moment of silence between them as she raised a hand, cupping her palm against his stubble-covered cheek. She marveled at the sheer masculine beauty of him, wondering not for the first time how she'd ever gotten through these last several years without him.

Adam turned his head toward her hand, just enough so he could press a soft kiss to her palm. God, he loved her. And, when he really thought about it, these last few years, he'd basically been like a shell of himself. He hadn't felt quite so whole until she'd been brought back into his life a few months ago - and until they'd really gotten together, as they were meant to be, he'd pretty much felt like half a man.

But that was all behind him now. He had Amy back in his life. He had Amanda, the daughter he'd never known he had. And, not that it had really mattered because they'd both known the truth, but he had the DNA test papers as well. Life couldn't be any more perfect. Well, it could - but he would take care of that in due time.

"I was just thinking," he said softly, his gaze locked on her hazel eyes. He reached down and grasped her hand, gently interlacing his long fingers with her smaller, delicate ones. He smiled as he felt her squeeze his hand tenderly.

Amy felt a tiny smile tugging at her lips as she gazed deeply into his eyes. His breath was so warm and sweet against her face. She felt as though she could just about lose herself... Those twin pools of forest green just about left her feeling intoxicated.

"Anyway," the tall blond man continued, a strange, irrational fear running through him. Would she react favorably to what he was about to say? "I'd like Mandy to have my last name." He held his breath for a beat as he watched her beautiful face for any sign of a reaction.

The redhead's face blossomed as she smiled brightly. Again, she reached a hand to his cheek, her fingers dancing softly on his skin.

"Amanda Joanna Copeland... I love it," she breathed.

He arched a brow.

"'Joanna?'" It was the first time he'd ever heard of his daughter's middle name.

Amy blushed.

"Truthfully, I chose that as her middle name because... because..." She looked down, bashful. Her heart was thudding like mad now.

Adam ducked his head to keep his gaze on her face. He placed his hand under her chin, gently tipping her head up so that their eyes met, gazes locked.

"Because...?"

The redhead licked her lips, then finished her thought.

"Well, because it was so close to your middle name," she admitted.

A grin spread across the blond man's handsome face. God, this woman was adorable, and so very precious. She actually felt shy about telling him she'd given their daughter a middle name that was basically named after his middle name. It was just so cute. He chuckled softly.

Amy eyed him questioningly.

"You're absolutely adorable," he whispered. He drew her nearer to him, kissing her passionately.

Amy melted and kissed him back with equal fervor. She never wanted to let him go.

Part 39

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	39. Chapter 39

Amy stood by the vanity mirror in the divas' locker room, fixing her hair.

She couldn't help noticing how the other women seemed to be avoiding her. She supposed it was a natural act, as most - if not all - of them had been talking about her for the last few days. Well, it didn't matter. She was still the newbie here, so gossip concerning her was to be expected, anyway. She wasn't going to allow it to bother her.

"Hey."

The redhead spotted Trish Stratus in the reflection of the mirror, the petite blonde standing right behind her. She turned around, surprised, and met the other woman's eyes.

Trish smiled, attempting to mask the slight unease she felt. Although she hadn't exactly partaken in the typical gossip about Amy and Adam that most of the locker room had engaged in, she had still talked with Jay. Her boyfriend, of course, had known what had happened between his best friend and the redhead years ago. That night, when Trish had been considering Jeff's suspicions about little Mandy, she'd voiced it to Jay - and he'd told her the truth of what Adam had so recently confessed to him.

"We haven't really talked much lately... How have you been?" the blonde asked, a tentativeness in her voice.

The redhead began to shrug a shoulder, the expression on her face staying somewhat stoic.

"I've been actually not bad."

The shorter woman managed a slightly uncertain smile.

"That's good," she said. She bit her lip, debating with herself whether or not to proceed. She really didn't know Amy all that well, as they'd only met a few months past - but at the same time, she considered the redhead a pretty good friend.

"Would it be all right..." she said, deciding to just bite the proverbial bullet, "... if we just talked for a bit? Privately - just us."

Amy gazed into Trish's kind, warm brown eyes, the concern and uneasiness within not at all lost on her. She could see that the little blonde cared, and was feeling insecure as well - most likely about their friendship - probably wondering if there even was a friendship anymore.

Finally, the redhead nodded.

"Okay... sure."

They left the locker room together, and Amy thought about the idea of them speaking 'privately.' There was really so much privacy you could get when you spoke with someone out in an arena halway... Especially when said arena was actually jam-packed full of people.

Trish located a deserted room and pushed through the door, her gaze darting back and forth as Amy entered as well. The moment the door closed behind them, a moment of silence hung in the air.

The blonde woman took a deep breath and exhaled.

"I'm not going to stand here and interrogate you like some cold-hearted bitch, Amy..." she began. "I'm just... concerned... You know I'm your friend."

"Yeah... I do," came the response.

"Is it true?" the blonde continued. "About you and Adam, I mean?"

Amy arched an eyebrow at Trish's words. They sounded so prying to her ears.

"I mean... Matt has been saying such horrible things about you both lately... and I don't believe it for a second. I see how you and Adam look at each other - and I know there's something special there."

The redhead softened at the mention of the tall blond man. A farawy look came into her hazel eyes for a moment before she regained her senses and fixed her gaze on Trish.

"I love him," the redhead said. "And yes, the rumors are true - he is Mandy's father."

The little blond was not the least phased by the woman's admission. Instead, she offered her a small but warm smile.

"I know... I just wanted you to know that I'm here to support you guys."

Amy felt touched and reached out to grasp Trish's hand.

"Thank you."

Part 40

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	40. Chapter 40

Adam felt immeasurably glad that Amy had agreed to come out with him early that day. It was a Friday, and they would be expecting Mandy later in the early evening as always. In the meantime, they had all this time to themselves.

"Trish and I spoke a bit the other night."

The tall blond man's brows quirked at her statement. As far as he knew, Amy and the little blonde hadn't spoken much since all of the events in the past couple of weeks. He himself certainly hadn't spoken with her, but then, he hadn't even really talked with Jay, either. Hell, he realized that, since he and Amy had gotten so close - especially in the midst of the whole thing with Matt - he hadn't really spoken to anyone.

"Yeah," Amy continued. "Trish told me that she's still my friend, and she's here for me."

The Canadian stopped walking, stopping her as their eyes met.

"She said Matt's been saying a lot of stuff about us, Adam."

"Yeah, no kidding." The blond man's expression soured, but he wasn't going to allow thoughts of Matt Hardy get him down. The other man knew the truth, and if he couldn't deal with or accept it, that was his problem. At least Matt wasn't hassling them anymore. If he'd been gossiping about them, Adam didn't know a thing about it. But come to think of it, he didn't care.

"What else is new?" the tall blond man said rhetorically. "You know what?" he continued. He wrapped his arms around the redhead's waist, drawing her nearer. She clasped her arms around his neck and gazed up into his green orbs. "Who cares what anyone else thinks... People should be used to it by now - us together."

Amy gazed deeply into his sparkling twin pools of emerald, her heart soaring. He was right, and he was wonderful and beautiful and just so perfect. She loved him more than she'd ever imagined being able to love any man in her life.

"You're right," she breathed, her face moving nearer to his. "Of course you're right." She closed the small distance between them and placed her lips on his as she stood on her tiptoes. She melted as she felt his arms tighten around her as he responded, his tongue gently slipping past her lips.

Adam sighed as he kissed her more deeply, not caring about a single other thing than that sweet moment. God, she felt so good in his arms, tasted so very sweet.

After a long moment, he pulled back, reluctantly, a soft smile on his face as their gazes met again. He released his embrace but reached down for her hand, grasping it gently but firmly and laced his fingers through hers.

"Come on," he said softly, his green orbs twinkling. He had a destination in mind before they headed back to the hotel. He knew the area, and this town, pretty well.

They walked for another few blocks until Adam noticed the place. Smiling conspiratorially to himself, he tugged on her hand, leading her inside.

The tall blond man feigned innocence as the redhead eyed him questioningly. He saw her eyes widen somewhat as she gazed at the beautiful showcases and displays, a soft ooh and ahh randomly escaping her.

Adam felt his heart pounding so rapidly in his chest, the anticipation overtaking him. He was still holding her much smaller hand, loving the feel of it, when he took action.

Amy gasped as he suddenly lowered to one knee before her, his large hand still gripping her own. She gaped down at him wordlessly, unable to believe what was evidently about to happen.

"Amy... I love you," he spoke softly. Around them, he noticed in his peripheral vision that other customers were watching them. But not once did he allow his gaze to waver from her beautiful hazel eyes. "You know how I feel, and I've told you before that I want to marry you. And Mandy is the most precious gift I could have ever asked for..." He felt himself getting a bit choked up, and Amy by now had a tear running down her right cheek. "... Ames, I want you, and I want her... Let's really become a family - officially. Amy, will you marry me?"

The redhead blinked with emotion, her heart thundering. She could not believe this adorable, sweet man. No wonder he'd brought her into a jewelry store, of all places! Another tear ran down her cheek as she nodded.

"Yes, Adam... yes, of course I'll marry you!"

The blond man bounded to his feet to sweep her into his arms. She embraced him back tightly as their lips met in a passionate kiss. She chuckled, though it was muffled by the kiss, as Adam lifted her off her feet. She blushed as she realized people were clapping - they had a small audience!

After the Canadian released her, a grin on his handsome face, he nudged her gently.

"C'mon... Let's go over there-" He pointed to a display he'd noticed that held diamond rings. "You're gonna pick out your engagement right..."

Part 41

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	41. Chapter 41

Adam felt immeasurably glad that Amy had agreed to come out with him early that day. It was a Friday, and they would be expecting Mandy later in the early evening as always. In the meantime, they had all this time to themselves.

"Trish and I spoke a bit the other night."

The tall blond man's brows quirked at her statement. As far as he knew, Amy and the little blonde hadn't spoken much since all of the events in the past couple of weeks. He himself certainly hadn't spoken with her, but then, he hadn't even really talked with Jay, either. Hell, he realized that, since he and Amy had gotten so close - especially in the midst of the whole thing with Matt - he hadn't really spoken to anyone.

"Yeah," Amy continued. "Trish told me that she's still my friend, and she's here for me."

The Canadian stopped walking, stopping her as their eyes met.

"She said Matt's been saying a lot of stuff about us, Adam."

"Yeah, no kidding." The blond man's expression soured, but he wasn't going to allow thoughts of Matt Hardy get him down. The other man knew the truth, and if he couldn't deal with or accept it, that was his problem. At least Matt wasn't hassling them anymore. If he'd been gossiping about them, Adam didn't know a thing about it. But come to think of it, he didn't care.

"What else is new?" the tall blond man said rhetorically. "You know what?" he continued. He wrapped his arms around the redhead's waist, drawing her nearer. She clasped her arms around his neck and gazed up into his green orbs. "Who cares what anyone else thinks... People should be used to it by now - us together."

Amy gazed deeply into his sparkling twin pools of emerald, her heart soaring. He was right, and he was wonderful and beautiful and just so perfect. She loved him more than she'd ever imagined being able to love any man in her life.

"You're right," she breathed, her face moving nearer to his. "Of course you're right." She closed the small distance between them and placed her lips on his as she stood on her tiptoes. She melted as she felt his arms tighten around her as he responded, his tongue gently slipping past her lips.

Adam sighed as he kissed her more deeply, not caring about a single other thing than that sweet moment. God, she felt so good in his arms, tasted so very sweet.

After a long moment, he pulled back, reluctantly, a soft smile on his face as their gazes met again. He released his embrace but reached down for her hand, grasping it gently but firmly and laced his fingers through hers.

"Come on," he said softly, his green orbs twinkling. He had a destination in mind before they headed back to the hotel. He knew the area, and this town, pretty well.

They walked for another few blocks until Adam noticed the place. Smiling conspiratorially to himself, he tugged on her hand, leading her inside.

The tall blond man feigned innocence as the redhead eyed him questioningly. He saw her eyes widen somewhat as she gazed at the beautiful showcases and displays, a soft ooh and ahh randomly escaping her.

Adam felt his heart pounding so rapidly in his chest, the anticipation overtaking him. He was still holding her much smaller hand, loving the feel of it, when he took action.

Amy gasped as he suddenly lowered to one knee before her, his large hand still gripping her own. She gaped down at him wordlessly, unable to believe what was evidently about to happen.

"Amy... I love you," he spoke softly. Around them, he noticed in his peripheral vision that other customers were watching them. But not once did he allow his gaze to waver from her beautiful hazel eyes. "You know how I feel, and I've told you before that I want to marry you. And Mandy is the most precious gift I could have ever asked for..." He felt himself getting a bit choked up, and Amy by now had a tear running down her right cheek. "... Ames, I want you, and I want her... Let's really become a family - officially. Amy, will you marry me?"

The redhead blinked with emotion, her heart thundering. She could not believe this adorable, sweet man. No wonder he'd brought her into a jewelry store, of all places! Another tear ran down her cheek as she nodded.

"Yes, Adam... yes, of course I'll marry you!"

The blond man bounded to his feet to sweep her into his arms. She embraced him back tightly as their lips met in a passionate kiss. She chuckled, though it was muffled by the kiss, as Adam lifted her off her feet. She blushed as she realized people were clapping - they had a small audience!

After the Canadian released her, a grin on his handsome face, he nudged her gently.

"C'mon... Let's go over there-" He pointed to a display he'd noticed that held diamond rings. "You're gonna pick out your engagement right..."

Part 41

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	42. Chapter 42

Adam looked up at the sound of the knocking at the hotel room door. He knew it had to be Amy returning from leaving Mandy with Trish and Jay.

Sure enough, the moment he opened the door, the redhead threw herself into his arms, and he kicked the door shut as she reached up, tangling her hands into his hair.

The kiss was so intense, so passionate and filled with feeling that he nearly died. He responded instantly, eagerly, his tongue slipping between her willing lips. He tilted his head to one side to get a better angle, deepening the kiss immeasurably.

After long moments, she broke the kiss, smiling almost slyly as she gazed up at him with sparkling hazel eyes.

"You are about to get so lucky..."

The tall blond man smiled as she pulled his head down to hers again, a sigh leaving him as their lips crashed together once more. God, she tasted sweet. He allowed his tongue to explore every niche, every crevice of her hot, velvety, moist mouth.

He moaned as he caressed his hands down her body, her own suddenly at the crotch of his jeans as they continued kissing. He was rock-hard and throbbing for her. She reached down and touched him, causing him to growl at just that light touch.

She pulled back slightly, desire gleaming in her hazel orbs as she met his green eyes. He was breathing more heavily now, and she bit her lip gently before giving him another few more kisses - quick ones this time. Afterward, she tugged on his jeans, pulling them down just enough, then reached into his boxers and freed him.

Practically panting, Adam watched as the redhead suddenly knelt before him. She raised her eyes back up to meet his, her hand fondling him. Then, after a brief moment, she placed her lips on the very tip of him, giving him a most intimate kiss. It was light, with just the softest pressure of lips and tongue, but Adam moaned at the feel of it. Amy soon grew much more demanding, however, as she enveloped him in her mouth. He hissed through his teeth as her tongue and teeth came into play, invoking in him sensations he'd never known he possessed. God, it felt so amazing.

She smiled as she continued loving him in this way, loving the way he continuously throbbed and pulsated inside her mouth. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep doing this for long, lest he erupt.

Adam glanced down his body at her, his breathing more heavy than ever. If she kept this up for much longer... God, did she know what she was doing to him? He threw his head back, his eyes closing tightly, and he felt another growl bubbling up from his lips as the pre-cum spilled from him into her mouth. That was enough for him... She was driving him absolutely wild.

He gave her a gentle nudge, and she paused in her task, a look of desire in her eyes so fierce, he nearly cried out. He gently pulled her up to a standing position, crashing his lips against hers again, tasting himself on her.

Then, he lifted her up in his embrace, their lips still meeting, and carried her to the bed.

The tall blond man's heart was in his eyes as he hovered over her, his hands roaming all over her body. They fumbled with their remaining garments for a moment, frantic to remove the offending clothing.

Once naked, the redhead, sitting up, pulled the blond man against her, kissing the breath from him again. She let out a whimper as she felt his right hand lower to her most sensitive area, and Adam growned as he found her very wet. He slipped a finger into her, moving it around slowly.

Amy moaned and arched her body against him. He continued to finger her for a few minutes, making a deep, contented sound in his throat at the smooth, moist silkiness of her sex.

"Mmm... Oh, God," Amy moaned, her eyes closing briefly at the sensations. She pressed forward, placing her lips on his in a hot, passionate kiss. Then, her hazel eyes filled with fire, she spoke again, her voice laced with lust. "Inside of me - now." She turned around so that her back faced him, on all fours.

The blond man nearly salivated as he gladly obliged, crawling up to her. He pressed a few lingering kisses to her back and the nape of her neck before gripping himself - and then, in a single, fluid move, he pushed forward and filled her completely. He hissed through his teeth at the snug feel of himself inside of her. At the same time, she let out a cry as he began thrusting in and out of her.

"Oh, God..." the redhead cried. "... That feels so good, Adam... So... very... good." She added some movements of her own, causing the blond man to growl again, clenching his teeth with the effort and the feel of it all.

In no time,they were both there, at those incredible heights. She cried out more loudly, her head whipping back as she arched her body slightly more. Adam let out a loud groan, and he thrust even harder, faster through her orgasm as he felt his own hitting him. Finally, he let go and emptied himself into her. It was perhaps the most satisfying climax of his entire life.

Afterward, he pulled her into his arms and laid back, her head resting on his sweaty chest. He kissed her forehead, a feeling of incredible peace overtaking him.

"I love you so much," he whispered. "I love Mandy... and I don't think I've ever been happier."

Amy smiled as she gazed up into his sparkling emerald orbs, love swelling through her heart.

"I feel the exact same way," she said softly. "I've never been so happy as I am with you."

The blond man chuckled and moved just enough to capture her lips in another soft but passionate kiss.

Part 43

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	43. Chapter 43

Adam felt unbelievably content as they laid there, Amy cozy in the circle of his arms. She snuggled against him, and he gazed down at her, nuzzling her gently.

The redhead smiled contentedly as well, her head raising so that their lips could meet. He kissed her passionately, yet so tenderly, her heart felt all fluttery. Not for the first time, she wondered how she'd made it through the last few years without him. She raised her hand, curling her fingers gently into his long blond hair as they kissed.

Afterward, the Canadian pressed a kiss to her forehead, his breath warm against her face. He loved the feel of her warm body pressed to his.

"You know what?"

She raised her eyes back up at his question.

"Hmm?"

"We should set a date for the wedding," he said softly.

Amy laughed softly, loving the way that sounded. She could hardly wait. For years, she'd wanted to be with him, and right here, in his arms. And now, they were engaged to be married. She could hardly wait to become Mrs. Adam Copeland. Most women these days tended to keep their maiden names and hyphenate their husband's last name to it - but the redhead knew she wouldn't do that. She wanted his name. The soft smile blossoming even more on her face, she cupped his cheek to kiss him again.

"You're right," she breathed. "We should set a date." Thoughts of the upcoming wedding, and about his last name, reminded her of something else. "And we still have to file papers for giving Mandy your last name."

"Mmm..." he murmured, holding her even more tightly to him. "... yes, we do." He leaned his head down again to kiss her, one of his large, warm hands reaching up to cup her breast.

The redhead moaned at the sensation, as he rubbed the pad of his thumb over her already hardened nipple. God, he was insatiable. Not twenty minutes after they'd made love, he apparently wanted to go again. He left her breathless. And, sure enough, she could feel the heat radiating from his again hardening member. He was throbbing against her.

She kissed him even more intensely as he continued to fondle her breast, a soft, muffled whimper leaving her. God, she wanted him again, and just as badly as he wanted her.

Adam's heart was in his green eyes as he rolled over, on top of her. He took hold of her left hand in his right, kissing the back of it. Then, turning it over, he kissed the palm, her fingers and fingertips. His gaze never leaving hers, the blond man turned the delicate appendage back around and placed a lingering kiss on her ring finger - exactly where she wore the perfect, gorgeous diamond engagement ring he'd gotten her earlier that morning.

Amy watched him while he performed the tender gesture, her breath catching in her throat. What a precious, precious man he was. She'd never thought it possible to love someone as much as she loved him.

The redhead reached up with both arms, wrapping them around his neck and drawing him down to her. Their kiss was so intensely passionate, she nearly died at the feel of it. And then, after a long, long moment, he broke the kiss, turning his attention back on her lovely body.

Adam lowered his head to concentrate on her breasts, his mouth and lips and tongue demanding. Amy let out a gasp of pleasure and tangled her hands into his blond curls. God, he was driving her mad with passion and desire.

Before too long, the blond man's head was back up, and, gazing down into her hazel eyes, his own filled with love and lust, he plunged deeply into her. Her breath left her in a hurry at the feel of him so deeply seated inside of her.

It didn't take long at all. Amy was very wet, and he slammed into her with full, thick, regular strides. The redhead could feel the delicious stirrings hitting her, just eluding her. She fought it off for as long as she could hold on, but after a moment, she let go, crying out loudly as the orgasm washed over her.

The blond man quickly followed, a growl escaping him, as, after one final full thrust, he exploded inside of her. Her legs were still tightly wrapped around his waist as he climaxed, holding him firmly in place.

Afterward, a contented smile came to his face, one he couldn't seem to rid himself of. As he held Amy in his arms, listening to the sound of her soft breathing, he knew one thing - he knew what heaven on earth felt like.

Part 44

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	44. Chapter 44

Trish smiled as she opened the door, although deep inside, she felt unsure.

"Hey," Jeff said genially. "Is Jay here?" He was having a match with the other man that night and wanted to go over one final spot, as he'd just concocted it in his mind.

"Yeah, he's here," the blonde said, holding the door open a bit wider. "We've got company." The diva smiled as she turned toward the interior of the room, where her boyfriend was playing with little Mandy.

Jeff smiled as he approached them. Jay had the little girl up on his shoulders, and then he swung her up and into his arms. The child laughed, enjoying herself.

"Aww, hey - babysittin', huh?"

"Uncle Jeff!" Mandy exclaimed.

The rainbow-haired young man waved at her. She was such an adorable kid.

"Hey, kiddo." He eyed Trish and then Jay questioningly, as though silently asking them where Amy and Adam were.

"Yup, we're babysitting," Trish quipped, a tiny smile on her face as she thought about the way the redhead had looked earlier. The woman had been glowing.

"My Mommy and Daddy are getting married!"

The child's revelation brought surprise to both Jay's and Jeff's faces - and then, the younger Hardy realized that Trish showed no reaction of surprise.

"What?" Jay said, confused. As far as he knew, it was Matt whom Mandy knew of as 'Daddy.'

Jeff ignored the other man for the moment, his gaze traveling to the blonde woman. She wasn't speaking a word on this topic. Then, kneeling down to Amanda's level, he looked the child in the eye.

"Mandy, your Mommy and Daddy - you mean... Adam?" Are they getting married?"

The girl nodded wordlessly.

"I... knew about it."

Jeff and Jay both looked toward Trish.

"Oh, my God! This is huge!" the short-haired blond man said. Everything seemed to be moving so quickly - everything about Amy cheating on Matt with Adam, and about Adam being Mandy's father, had all been so recent. And now, they were engaged? "You knew about this, Trish? And you didn't tell me?"

The little blonde shrugged.

"I just found out myself when Amy brought Mandy over. And just so you guys know, she didn't tell me - but I caught a glimpse of that gorgeous diamond on her finger." The blonde made a contented, longing type of sound - one that had Jay suddenly squirming.

"Okay... I get the picture," the Canadian said.

"Wow..." Jeff said, seconding Jay's exact thoughts on this news. He shuddered at the thought of what Matt's reaction would be when he found out. However, in spite of everything, the young man knew Amy and Adam were truly in love. Just to look at them, no one could mistake that. The way he saw it, those two never should have been separated all those years earlier - and not only because of Mandy, either.

"Okay... Thank you for telling me, Mandy," Jeff said as he finally returned his attention to the little girl. "I guess your Mommy and Daddy are gonna tell everyone they're getting married pretty soon, huh?"

Amanda shrugged, but her face donned a smile.

"I guess."

Jeff straightened up to stand and swallowed hard. He realized that, for everyone's best interest, it would probably be better if he broke the news to Matt. Lord knew, it wouldn't be pretty if his brother found out in any other way.

Part 45

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	45. Chapter 45

Later that week

Matt Hardy sat glumly in the catering room at the arena. There were a few other superstars around, but he opted not to have anything to do with them. At the very moment, he was perfectly content to do as he was doing - sitting alone and wallowing in his seething anger.

He barely reacted as he heard two new voices suddenly intermingling with the others. Those belonged to Jay Reso and Trish Stratus - two people he'd considered good friends but who were much better friends with that scumbag Adam Copeland. He knew they had chosen Adam over himself. Hell, even his own damned brother was still seemingly friendly with the Canadian - and Amy as well.

All at once, he realized that Trish had stopped speaking. She'd been chattering away to her boyfriend a moment before, but now had shut up. A quick, almost disinterested glance her way told Matt that the diva had apparently stopped talking because of his presence. She was no doubt talking about him, and about Adam and Amy. It made his blood boil. It was just a good thing he hadn't seen the tall blond man tonight, or else he might have really snapped. Mere thoughts of Copeland were enough to make him violent. And, as far as Matt was concerned, the worst part of all was that Adam was indeed Amanda's biological father. Of course, he'd known all along that he himself wasn't her father, but knowing the blond man was made him more sick than just about anything he could imagine.

One thing that surprised him was that all the gossip about Amy and Adam had died down considerably. He'd opened his mouth to just about anyone who'd listen about the situation, but damn it, he had every right to. His girlfriend of five years had cheated on him - had an affair with one of his closest friends. And then, after all that, he'd had to find out that the two had a past together and that Amy's daughter was in fact by Adam.

"Matt?"

The dark-haired man looked up at the sound of his name. He met Jeff's eyes with naked annoyance, resenting the fact that his brother had interfered with his thoughts.

"What?" he snapped.

Jeff didn't flinch or even seem to mind his brother's hostile reaction toward him.

"I need to talk to you."

Matt eyed his younger sibling almost warily, but shrugged. Letting out a weary sigh, he spoke again.

"Not here, man. This has to be private."

Without a word of response, Matt rose from the chair and table, then started for the exit. Jeff followed closely behind him as they walked back to the locker room.

"Okay, we're alone now," the dark-haired man said when they arrived, Jeff shutting the door behind them. "What's so important that you need to talk to me about?"

The younger man shifted his green eyes downward, not sure about how to tell his brother. Undoubtedly, Matt would be upset... But he had no other choice than to tell him.

"It's about Adam and Amy," he finally said.

Matt made a face that clearly exhibited all of his disgust.

"Yeah... So?"

"Well," the younger man continued, "there's something you should know, but I'm telling you because it would be easier to hear from me than from someone else."

"Stop beating around the bush, Jeff!" the older man shouted. "Just spill it already!"

Jeff was perfectly calm as he did so.

"Okay... Adam and Amy are engaged..."

Matt merely blinked as he stared at his brother. He couldn't possibly have heard him right.

"What?"

"Trish said she saw a diamond ring on Amy's finger earlier this week," Jeff explained. "They haven't made any announcement yet, but-" He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as Matt bolted up and ran right out the door. 

Part 46

Back


	46. Chapter 46

_Six weeks later_

Adam couldn't help but grin as he gazed over at them. His two girls... They were just so precious to him. His heart soared as he watched them. It was such a sweet sight. 

They had a day off and were home... Well, not technically home at the very moment, as they'd gone out to a pretty little park in a nearby neighborhood. Adam watched as Amy knelt beside Mandy, talking softly to the girl and instructing her. They were at the edge of a small pond filled with ducks, and the redhead was encouraging the little girl to throw some pieces of bread they'd brought. 

Mandy did as her mother instructed, tossing the crumbs into the water. Several ducks waddled over to eat them, and Amanda laughed at their cute antics. 

"The duckies are saying thank you!" Amy exclaimed. She laughed as well as she hugged her daughter against her side. Then, she cast a glance over her shoulder up at Adam, and her smile increased even more. She felt all warm and fuzzy inside and absolutely loved the feeling. This was so wonderful... And finally, after all these years, she was home... She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was where she belonged. She belonged with Adam - she and Mandy. 

The tall blond man knelt down at the child's other side, his gaze scanning over the lovely landscape. He put his arm around Mandy, his hand finding Amy's at her other side. He smiled softly as he felt the redhead squeeze his hand, her fingers soft and warm. 

Nearly a month earlier, Amy and Amanda had moved into his house in Tampa. His daughter had been delighted, as he had two dogs - a male Pomeranian named Creampuff and a large female Rottweiler named Princess. Like himself and Amy, Mandy was a huge animal lover and dog lover in particular. She'd seen Princess and had taken off running, enveloping the dog in a big hug as Amy had stood by with wide eyes, terrified of what might happen - since Princy was, after all, a strange dog to them. However, the Rottweiler had taken it all in stride, a canine smile on her face, and the tall blond man had laughed heartily at the entire exchange. 

The three of them stayed at the pond for awhile, enjoying the beautiful view and the cuteness of the ducks. One brave mallard even came right up to take a few crumbs from Mandy's hand, much to the little girl's delight. 

Finally, they decided it was time to head back home. Amanda, however, protested. 

"No... Mommy, I want to stay here for one more minute!" She pouted, and Adam couldn help but chuckle. His daughter was just so adorable. If he'd had the final say, he would have given in to what Mandy wanted, and he knew what kind of father he was at that very moment - the kind who was destined - or maybe doomed was a better word - to spoil his kids rotten. 

"Mandy, I have to make us dinner," the redhead explained. "Daddy and I are getting hungry." She exchanged glances with the Canadian, whose emerald eyes were sparkling as he smiled at her. 

"Don't worry, Blondie," Adam piped in. "We'll come back here next week. Scout's honor." 

Amanda chewed her lower lip, as though thinking about it. Then, she nodded and smiled. 

"Okay." She put up a tiny hand for him, and the blond man happily took it. On her other side, Amy was also reaching for Mandy's hand, and the little girl took it. The happy little family left the park and started for home. 

Amy sat at the small desk in the den while Mandy sat on the floor before the TV set, playing a videogame. Despite the fact that she'd mentioned cooking dinner, Adam had refused, insisting that he do it and she relax. The redhead had smiled and kissed him. Besides, he was one helluva cook himself, and she could use the time to herself to check her email and catch up on things. 

Now, as she sat there in front of the computer, she noticed an email from an old friend who wasn't in wresting, and it caught her eye. She clicked it open and read, a frown coming to her face. And then, her heart pounding extra fast, she clicked the link that had been pasted into the email. She had to see it for herself. 

Amy browsed through a series of messages when she finally found it - and her blood began to boil. 

"Oh, hell no!" she yelled, startling little Mandy in the process. 

"Mommy? What's the matter?" 

The redhead ignored her daughter for the moment. 

"Adam! Adam, get in here!" she cried. "I have to show you something!" 


	47. Chapter 47

Adam rushed into the den at Amy's call, a look of concern adorning his handsome features. There had been such an urgency, laced with anger, in his fiancee's voice. And now, as he stood over the computer and stared down at the words on the monitor, he could see why... And that same rage the redhead felt was now claiming him as well.

_As all of you reading this by now know, Amy and I broke up a short while ago. But what most of you probably don't know is the "why" behind all of it. In a nutshell, Amy Dumas is nothing but a two-bit whore. While I was away doing business for the WWE, she cheated on me. Not only did she cheat on me, but the man she was with was supposed to be a good friend of mine. Believe me when I say that I now realize that Adam Copeland was no friend. What makes all of this even worse is that the two lying backstabbers have a history together - they had a one-night stand over six years ago. I only recently found out about this when Amy finally told me the truth about her six-year-old daughter, Amanda. You see, that worthless sack of shit Copeland is Amanda's father._

_A lot more sordid stuff has come to my attention, but I'll save that for another time. Thanks to all of you Mattitude followers for sticking by me and giving me your support._

_- Matt_

A string of curses was on the tip of Adam's tongue, but he remembered that Mandy was in the room with them. He did not want to curse in front of his daughter. Instead, he clenched his hands into fists and tried to keep from smashing one of them into the PC monitor.

"I don't believe this," he muttered, glancing at Amy. The redhead's anger mirrored his own.

"Neither do I," the diva spat. "He talked about us on his damned website! And he mentioned Mandy's name, too!" To Amy, that was the ultimate lowest thing Matt could have done.

"Who mentioned my name, Mommy?"

The redhead and the tall blond man both whipped their heads in their daughter's direction. This was so bad... And Amy didn't want to have to mention a damned thing of this childish nonsense to a six-year-old.

"Mandy, go and play in your room."

The little girl frowned.

"But Mommy!"

"No buts, Mandy - go!"

Amanda eyed her mother for a beat, then suddenly burst into tears. Adam's heart wrenched at that, and then Mandy appealed to him.

"Daddy!" the girl wailed.

The tall blond man quickly exchanged glances with the redhead, then made up his mind. He couldn't just stand there and do nothing when his daughter was crying. He knelt down to her and tenderly wiped the tears off her face, his tone soft and gentle.

"Listen to me, sweetie... Mommy and I are not mad at you. But we have a little problem we have to take care of right now. And the best way we can do that is if you be a really good girl and play in your room right now. Okay?"

Mandy's crying began to cease, and soon her gulping hiccups disappeared. She looked up into her father's bright green eyes and spoke, her voice small.

"Is it okay if I play with my Barbies?"

Adam couldn't help but chuckle. He nodded, one of his large hands coming up to cup her soft, small cheek.

"Of course it is... And later on, after dinner, we'll play a game together. Okay?"

Amanda nodded and gave the tall blond man a kiss on the cheek. Then, she turned and left the room to go to her own.

Amy sat watching, a feeling of intense wonder overtaking her. It was just amazing and beautiful. They hadn't even known each other longer than a few months, yet Adam and Mandy were father and daughter through and through and already had such a loving, close-knit bond.

The Canadian noted the look on the face of the woman he loved. He arched a brow in question.

"What?"

"You're amazing... you truly are." She rose from the desk and went to him, throwing herself into his willing embrace.

They held one another without a word for long moments, just enjoying the sound of one another's breathing. Then, reluctantly, Amy pulled back, her face serious as she met his eyes.

"Okay... What are we going to do about Matt?"

"I have an idea," Adam replied, his green orbs hardening with fury. "Why don't I just kick his ass the next time I see him?"

"N-no," the redhead protested, shaking her head. "Besides, he probably _wants_ us to have some kind of reaction. Let's just be the mature ones in this and ignore him."

The blond man considered it. Then, finally, he nodded.

"Okay... If that's what you want - you got it, babe."


	48. Chapter 48

Adam tried to retain his composure, but it wasn't easy.

Their day off had come and gone, and now, they were back at work - at another arena in another city. Mandy was back home with Linda, the nanny having moved to Florida along with Amy and the little girl.

The tall blond man raked a hand through his hair as he turned to rummage through his bag. Damn that asshole to hell! It wasn't that all the buzzing about Amy and himself that had resumed throughout backstage was getting to him - he was by now used to it, and it really didn't bother him. But the fact that Matt had gone and spread all their private business on the internet was a totally different story... And mentioning Mandy's name in all of it did not sit well with him. An innocent child should be kept out of it.

Jay suddenly entered the locker room, his face showing concern as he looked up at the taller man.

"Hey," he said. "I keep hearing all this stuff about you and Amy. The hallway is going nuts!" Jay hooked a thumb over his shoulder.

"No shit," Adam muttered. He wasn't annoyed with his best friend in the least - he was furious at Matt Hardy for all the shit he was doing, for being so petty and childish. It would do management a world of good to separate them, lest he beat the holy hell out of the dark-haired man.

"What the heck is going on?" Jay asked. He hadn't heard a thing about what exactly had happened, but just thought it odd that, after a few weeks of stuff dying down, people were talking yet again.

"Matt Hardy happened," the tall blond man snapped. "He posted some shit about us on his website. Jay, I don't care what he says about me - or even Amy. We're adults, we can handle it... But when he brings my daughter's name into it...?" Adam's green eyes grew hard with rage. "... Well, that just makes me wanna hurt him."

There was a sudden knock at the door, and Jay turned abruptly to answer it when he heard the voice from just outside.

Trish stood looking concerned but confused as well.

"Hi, Adam," she said as she looked past her boyfriend. "Where's Amy?"

"Hey, Trish... She went to the women's locker room."

"Well, if she did, she's not there now," the tiny blonde said.

The tall blond man frowned. When he and the redhead had separated a little earlier to go to their respective locker rooms, he'd dropped her off. If she wasn't there now, where was she?

"Maybe she went to catering."

"No," Trish denied. "I just came from there. No one's seen her."

All the fine hairs on the back of Adam's neck stood erect - because he suddenly realized where his fiancee must have gone.

Amy slipped into the room, her breath held as she waited for him. Maybe this was not the best of ideas, but damn it, she needed answers.

"Ames - hey." Jeff was the first of the two of them to step through the doorway. His smile was slightly uncertain, but warm and friendly.

"Hi, Jeff. I came to speak to... Matt." Her eyes came to rest upon her ex-boyfriend, and her blood bubbled inside. However, she wouldn't let it show on the surface just yet.

"Okay," the younger man said, holding up his hands. "I gotcha... I'll be back later." He dropped his bag just beyond the door and backed out, leaving his older brother alone with the redhead, closing the door behind him.

Matt barely looked at Amy as he stepped further into the room.

"What the hell do you want?"

The diva crossed her arms over her chest, her displeasure no longer concealed.

"I want some answers," she snapped. "What in hell were you thinking, dragging Mandy's name into all of this?!"

The man glanced at her, his head tilting to one side.

"I didn't say a single rotten thing about her!"

"Damn it, Matt - you shouldn't have mentioned her period! She's just a little girl, and innocent in everything! And you're a fucking liar!"

"Bullshit!" Matt yelled, his dark eyes widening. He inched closer to Amy, his hands clenching into fists. "I told the truth - you're a whore!"

The redhead nearly growled as she struck out and slapped him hard across the face.

"You son of a bitch!"

By now, Matt was seeing nothing but red. All of his anger had been more of less bottled up for too long. He no longer acted on intellect as he grabbed the woman by the shoulders, slamming her up against the lockers before which she'd been standing. Amy let out a small cry of pain as her back hit the steel. Her head rattled against it as well.

"You God damned bitch! Who the hell do you think you are?!" He shook her again, until suddenly, the door swung open hard, and he was yanked away from her.

"Get the hell away from her!" Adam growled as he shoved Matt away. "She's pregnant, you asshole!" The tall blond man wanted to just swing back and punch the elder Hardy's lights out - the bastard had been manhandling Amy, and he could have caused a miscarriage.

"What?!" Matt's face displayed shock. The redhead was pregnant... He couldn't believe it. He stared at Adam, who looked angry enough to murder him, then shifted his gaze to Amy. She looked terrified. His eyes lowered to her still flat stomach.

She was pregnant...

Without another word, Matt turned and ducked out of the locker room.

Adam was instantly at Amy's side, his arms encircling her as he gathered her form against him.

"You okay, sweetheart?"

"Y-yes," she managed. She pulled back just enough to gaze up into his green eyes as she clung to him.

Adam hugged her tightly to him, stroking her long red hair.


	49. Chapter 49

Amy felt nervous as she sat in the waiting room with Adam. She couldn't help but continuously glance at the wall clock in anticipation.

"Hey," the blond man said gently, his hand reaching out for hers. Tenderly, he stroked it as he held it in his much larger one. "Easy, honey."

"I can't help it," she said, looking up at him with a weak, forced smile. "I'm a nervous wreck."

Adam raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back ot it. His heart burst with love and fierce tenderness for this woman.

They were in the waiting room of Amy's OB-GYN, awaiting word of the results of the test. About a week and a half earlier, the redhead had bought a home pregnancy test when she'd missed her period. The test had come out positive, but she knew they weren't always fool-proof - and so, she'd felt she had no other choice than to go see her doctor to know for sure, once and for all, if she was really pregnant.

Adam smiled at her, his green eyes sparkling. He was much more an optimist about the situation. In his heart and mind alike, he knew the redhead was pregnant. Not that they had been outrightly trying, but they hadn't been using anything for the last couple of months ever since Amy had told him she'd stopped taking the Pill.

"Adam, I'm... I'm scared," the redhead revealed. Somehow, despite the warmth and sweetness, and the way he continuously smiled at her, she just couldn't smile back.

"Why?" he asked. He gave her much smaller hand a gentle squeeze as he searched her hazel gaze.

"The other day," she explained, "when Matt shoved me into those lockers... What if...? Adam, what if I am pregnant and he hurt the baby in some way when he did that? What if-"

"Shh... Baby, I'm sure everything is going to be fine," the blond man soothed. He interlaced his fingers with hers.

The redhead met his kind, warm emerald eyes, and she couldn't help but smile. He made her feel so secure and loved. Besides, he was probably right - she hadn't felt anything telling when Matt had manhandled her. Her head had been jolted, but she hadn't experienced any abdominal pain or anything.

"Amy Dumas?"

They both looked up at the sound of the receptionist calling her name.

"The doctor will see you now." The young woman gestured with a hand in a sweeping manner.

Amy stood up uneasily, Adam rising along with her. Their hands were still clasped, and the diva was relieved he was going with her for the results.

Wordlessly, they stepped into the doctor's office. Dr. Sharon Parker greeted them cordially, gesturing for them to take the chairs situated just before her desk.

"I've looked over the results of your test... Congratulations - you're pregnant."

"I am?" Amy's face brightened with a smile, and she turned to meet Adam's gaze. The tall blond man was grinning happily. However, a twinge of fear shot through her. "Is everything... normal?"

The physician smiled warmly as she clearly saw every one of the patient's fears.

"Yes, everything looks perfectly fine," Dr. Parker replied.

Amy breathed an audible sigh of relief before allowing the true elation to set in and overtake her. She was suddenly all smiles.

"Oh, thank God!" She turned her gaze back to meet Adam's again. "Oh, my God... Adam! We're going to have a baby!"

The tall blond man was still grinning as he edged closer to her, his lips finding hers. Then, the redhead broke the kiss to again face Dr. Parker.

"What's the due date?" she inquired.

The OB-GYN smiled genially. Amy's hazel eyes were literally sparkling with happiness, and that reminded the woman that this was why she'd chosen this profession.

"Well, you're just about a month and a half along now," Dr. Parker replied. "You can expect to give birth on or around..." She glanced down at a calendar on her desk thoughtfully. "... June fifteenth."

"Oh, wow," the redhead breathed. Now, she couldn't seem to stop smiling - much like Adam. Their gazes met and held, locking, and the tall blond man reached out to grasp her hand.

"We're gonna have to celebrate this momentous, joyous occasion!"


	50. Chapter 50

Adam and Amy ignored the stares of a few of their fellow WWE superstars as they made their way down the arena hallway. However, the tall blond man knew it bothered the redhead. Lately, ever since Matt Hardy's rude statements on his website, Amy had insisted she didn't care - other than the mention of Mandy - but he knew that was just a front. It was hurting her. It upset her.

They finally reached the room they'd been seeking. Adam took hold of both of her hands and gazed down into the redhead's hazel eyes.

"You want me to wait out here for you?"

"No, it's okay, sweetie - you go on to the locker room, and I'll meet you there when I'm done," she replied.

"Are you sure?" he asked. God, he loved her... He wanted to protect her, shield her from the gawking stares of anyone who might be hanging around out here after she got through with talking to Stephanie McMahon.

She nodded.

"I'll be fine, Adam." She raised a hand and placed it palm-flat against his cheek. He was such a sweet, caring man. For the umpteenth time, she counted her lucky stars that she had him.

The blond man smiled warmly, enveloping her in his strong arms for a hug. He ducked his head to capture her lips in a soft kiss as well, and Amy nearly melted as she kissed him back.

A moment later, he left her, and the redhead squared her shoulders as she knocked on the youngest McMahon's office door.

"Come in!"

Amy complied, and she held her breath as she opened the door and stepped inside. She really wondered how the company's management would react, and how they would feel about one of their female wrestlers announcing she was pregnant.

'Well,' she told herself, 'there's only one way to find out.'

"Amy... Hello," Stephanie greeted her. The brunette was just hanging up the receiver of the phone on her desk, a clutter of papers in front of her.

"Hi, Stephanie."

"What can I do for you?" The young woman folded her hands primly on the desk as she eyed the other woman.

"Well, I..." Amy bit her lip, suddenly fearful of the other woman's possible reaction to her news. But Stephanie was another woman - certainly, she'd understand and be supportive. Besides, it wasn't as though she were disabled and would not be able to wrestle again in a few months. "... There's something I have to tell you," she finally went on. She hesitated again for the tiniest fraction as Stephanie cocked her head, frowning.

"I'm pregnant."

The brunette's facial features slowly softened, transforming.

"Oh... Wow, I didn't expect that. Congratulations," Stephanie said genuinely. A small smile touched her lips.

Amy was slightly taken aback but smiled.

"Thank you."

"So, when is the baby due?"

The redhead felt a tiny chuckle bubbling up from deep inside of her. Instinctively, her right hand lowered to gently press against her abdomen, where the baby was growing within.

"June fifteenth," she replied.

Stephanie's smile grew larger and traveled all the way up into her blue eyes.

"Well, this is certainly wonderful news - you and Adam must be so happy!"

Amy nodded.

"Yes... We are."

"Listen, Amy," the brunette said, her demeanor growing more serious, "I know how much turmoil you've had recently... And I just want to assure you that your pregnancy will in no way jeopardize your job - so if you were worried about that... And something tells me you were - don't."

The redhead suddenly felt as though an incredible weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She fought the urge to breathe a sigh of relief and instead smiled warmly at the other woman.

"Thank you, Stephanie."


	51. Chapter 51

Adam felt as though he were in heaven - but of course, when he was with Amy, he was.

The redhead moaned as she reached up to tangle her hands into his mass of long blond hair. She guided his head down to hers, their lips crashing together in a frenzy of passion. She was close, so very close.

The kiss left him nearly breathless, but his breathing was nearly uncontrollable as it was, as he thrust deep and evenly into her.

Despite being a month and a half along in her pregnancy, Amy was insatiable. She had always been full of a more than healthy sexual appetite, but she seemed now hornier than ever... And he loved it.

"Oh, God..." she breathed. "Yes, right there... Adam, Adam!" She threw her head back, her hazel eyes nearly rolling back up into her head as the orgasm took over. She arched her hips straight off the bed, meeting him in mid-thrust, and felt another building up. She let out a cry even louder than before, his name slipping past her lips in a panting breath.

He loved her... He loved her in the middle of her ecstasy. It was the sexiest thing he'd ever known. Letting out a growl, he too climaxed, thrusting even harder as he let go and gave into the incredible sensations.

"God, Amy... Oh, god!"

She suddenly reached up again, pulling his head back down to hers, and kissed him more passionately than before. God, she was so full of fire. Their tongues engaged in a mad battle for passionate dominance until they both rode out their peaks. Then, the kisses grew less demanding, but remained full of love, affection and tenderness.

Adam raised his head, his gaze fixed adoringly on her beautiful eyes. She was all sweaty and breathless... And he'd never found her more sexy than he did at that very moment.

"God, you're beautiful... I love you."

The sated redhead let out a soft, throaty laugh for a beat before she pulled him down to her for yet another kiss. When it broke, she closed her eyes, inhaling deeply and savoring that distinct and intoxicating male scent that was pure Adam.

"I love you, too." She could not imagine her life without this man in it. He and Mandy - and now, the baby growing inside of her as well - were her world.

Mandy... Thoughts of their little girl reminded her - they were supposed to go outside at noon to wait for Linda to deliver her to them. They'd been in bed all morning.

"Adam?"

The blond man's voice was sleepy, relaxed and tinged with satisfaction.

"Hmm?"

What time is it?" she asked.

The blond man raised his head just enough to catch a glimpse of his watch on the nightstand.

"Twenty after eleven," he replied.

"Oh, we'd better get a move on, then!" The redhead squirmed a little beneath him, and he shifted so that she could get up. "Mandy - Linda's going to be here at noon sharp."

Amy hated to admit it to herself, but she was worried. They still hadn't told Amanda about the baby yet, and she feared the little girl might not like the news nor the idea of having a little brother or sister. Mandy was so used to being the only child and the center of attention... Would she handle it okay?

"Sweetheart, we have something to tell you," she began. She met her daughter's hazel eyes squarely. They were in a park near the arena before the houseshow, and the child was sitting between her parents. "Mandy, I'm pregnant. You know what 'pregnant' means, right?"

The girl nodded.

"You're going to have a baby, Mommy?" Her voice took on an inquisitive tone.

"That's right. You're going to have a little baby brother or sister to play with." The redhead looked up to meet Adam's gaze, the blond man smiling warmly. She knew just how he was feeling right now - elated.

"Oh, wow!" Amanda exclaimed. She grew silently thoughtful for a moment, her cute little face scrunched up. Then, "How are babies made?"

Adam burst out with laughter. Damn him, but he couldn't help it!

Amy actually flushed slightly, her face suddenly matching her hair.

"One thing at a time, sweetie... We'll tell you someday, when you're a little older." She raised her gaze to meet the blond man's, his green eyes sparkling with merriment. Silently, he mouthed to her.

'I love you.'


	52. Chapter 52

Adam's eyes seemed to be glued to the computer screen. He felt like a glutton for punishment, but at the same time, being on this website was like a drug.

After the rotten comments Matt Hardy had made about him and Amy, and after the dark-haired man had had the nerve to mention Mandy, Adam had returned to the forum. He had to see what else Matt had said about them. At first, his former friend had said no more, but then, now several weeks later, he was at it again.

_'Interesting news. Amy is pregnant. She made the announcement to management a few weeks back, but one has to wonder. It wouldn't surprise me if the baby doesn't even belong to Adam Copeland. After all, Amy Dumas is a proven whore._

_- Matt'_

The tall blond man shook his head as he felt his blood pressure increase. A growl threatened to escape his lips as he reached up with both hands, fisting his long hair. What the fuck was Matt's problem? Feeling scorned was one thing, but taking things to this extreme made him a fucking prick! Slander and libel crossed his mind. If this shit kept up, he and the redhead could sue the bastard for one or the other.

The blond man looked up and over his shoulder as the dogs suddenly started barking. That could mean only one thing - Amy and Amanda were back home. His fiancee had gone to the little girl's elementary school to pick her up.

"Adam?" Amy called. "We're home!"

"I'm in here," he called back, instantly minimizing the window on the computer screen. He didn't want her to see what he was looking at, as he knew it would upset her.

"Daddy!" Mandy ran into the den first, her face happy, arms open. The blond man turned to open his own arms to her, and the child rushed right into his embrace. God, how he loved the girl. He couldn't imagine loving someone as much as he loved his beautiful daughter, and the woman of his dreams.

"How was school today, Mandy?" he asked as he held her in his lap. He smiled at Amy as she walked into the room as well, her cheeks taking on a healthy, rosy glow. Since becoming pregnant, she seemed to be even more beautiful than ever. She stepped forward, the diamond glittering on her left hand, and lowered her head to kiss him on the lips. She smelled wonderful.

"What's going on?"

"Not much," he responded too quickly. He cursed himself for not clicking out of the page he'd been browsing. She looked suspicious now, as her gaze scanned the screen.

"He's at it again, isn't he?"

"Ames-"

"What is he saying about us?" Amy interrupted, her expression growing angry.

The tall blond man's heart sank, as Mandy was still perched in his lap, playing with his long hair.

"Mandy, go to your room."

The little girl pouted.

"But why, Mommy?"

"Daddy and I have to do something," the redhead answered curtly. Damn it, she couldn't handle this. Lately, her hormones were doing a number on her emotions, and now she was beginning to feel sick as well.

Adam leaned his head down to speak softly into their daughter's ear.

"It's okay, Blondie. Just let us take care of something important, and I'll take you our for ice cream later."

"Yay!" With that, Amanda leapt off her father's lap and skipped out of the room.

When the blond man looked back up at the redhead, he was dismayed to notice how green she suddenly was.

"Amy...? Are you okay?"

She didn't respond at first, and suddenly, she went pale as a ghost. Then, shaking her head, she raised a hand to her mouth as she rushed from the room toward the bathroom.

Adam went after her as she made it just in time to purge her stomach into the toilet. The morning sickness had finally kicked in. His heart went out to her. As a man, he would obviously never understand everything women went through - but he was sympathetic.

Tenderness rushing through him, he grabbed a cup on the sink and filled it with fresh, cold water for her.


	53. Chapter 53

Amy sat uncomfortably as she watched Adam prepare for the night's RAW. She raised one of her hands, which had been folded neatly in her lap, and absently began gnawing on a cuticle on her thumb. She only hoped he wouldn't notice her nervousness, not to mention anything that was playing out in her head. Lord knew, he would be upset.

The tall blond man sat down to tie the laces on his wrestling boots. As he engaged in the task, he glanced over at her to see her looking pensive. He knew she hadn't been feeling well lately, thanks to her pregnancy, and he couldn't help but wonder why they called it 'morning' sickness. For the redhead, it would strike at any given time, not just in the morning.

"Ames, are you all right?" he asked, concern flooding through him. He hated to see her feeling so sick. He couldn't help but wonder if she'd had it so badly during her pregnancy with Mandy. If only he'd been around at the time... He would have done anything in his power to have made her feel better.

Her hazel gaze snapped instantly to lock with his eyes. Silently, she nodded.

"Yeah... I'm fine. I was just thinking about..." She hesitated for the briefest moment, then continued. "... your match."

"Oh." That was all it was? He felt relieved. He felt a smile tugging at his lips. "I'll be fine," he assured her. He rose from his seat across from her to sit beside her on the plush couch where she was perched. He placed one large hand to her cheek, gently caressing her silky skin. "And then, later on, we'll go get a bite to eat with Jay and Trish and then go back to the hotel, and I'll even give you a foot massage."

The redhead smiled, unable to resist the soft little laugh from escaping her. He really was such an attentive man, so kind and sweet and thoughtful. How had she ever lived her life all these years without him? It was a thought that had crossed her mind so many times ever since they had reunited.

"That sounds wonderful," she said, leaning into his touch more fully. She reached up to tangle her fingers into his long blond hair, her face nearing his until they were nuzzling each other. He sighed at the contact, and she loved the feel of his soft, sweet, warm breath against her face. Then, after a moment, she moved just so, allowing her lips to meet his, her hand still in his hair. He relaxed and kissed her back tenderly but passionately, his tongue dipping into her mouth to tangle with her own.

After long moments, Adam finally pulled back, his green eyes opening to fix on her lovely face. She was smiling up at him, her hazel eyes shining with love. He reached down for both her hands and kissed the backs of each of them in turn, then rose and went to grab the black trench coat he would wear out to the ring.

"I should get out to gorilla now," he said. His heart was in his eyes as he gazed over at her. "You're going to stay in here and watch my match, right?"

Amy nodded, biting her lip with slight unease.

"I'll be rooting for you - and waiting for you."

Adam smiled as he slipped into his trench coat, winking at her as he stepped over to the door. The redheaded diva watched as he exited the room, then closed the door behind him.

She let out a long exhaling breath, her hands wringing in her lap. She didn't think she could sit still for more than another five minutes. That was it, her mind was made up. She had to do it.

Amy rose from the couch and made her own way to the door. She exited, hoping that Adam wouldn't spot her, although she doubted that because gorilla was quite a bit of a distance from here. She wasn't going to leave the area of the locker rooms.

The pregnant redhead squared her shoulders, stubbornly determined in spite of her own words from a few weeks past. She wasn't going to let him get away with all of this without hearing from her first.

Stealthily moving through the hall, she found him in the locker room he was in for the night, the door slightly ajar. Then, without even so much as a warning, she shoved the door fully open and barged inside.

Matt Hardy almost jumped as he became startled by her sudden appearance. And then, his expression darkened as he glared her over. A slight smirk then took over his face as he eyed her from head-to-toe.

"What do _you_ want?"

Without even thinking, Amy rushed directly toward him, her hand quick as she struck out and slapped him hard across the face.

"You miserable son of a bitch!"

Matt's head shot to the side under the force of the blow, his eyes squeezed shut. Obviously, he hadn't expected her to hit him. He soon recovered and turned to stare incredulously at her as she verbally assaulted him further as well.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" she shouted. "How could you talk about me that way?! How could you tell such disgusting and horrible lies about me?!"

"You're not exactly one to talk about lies, Amy," the dark-haired man said in an eerily calm, collected voice. A cruel half-smile curled his upper lip. "You're not an angel, are you? No, you cheated on me with one of my closest friends, and you didn't have the decency to even tell me that Mandy was his. You deserve everything I'm giving you now."

Somehow, Amy refrained from raising her hand to him again, but at the same time, she felt tears of anger and other emotions coming. Her hormones were definitely doing a number on her, and making her more emotional than usual. In any case, she knew Matt was a bastard, and she wondered how in hell she had ever managed to be in a relationship with him for five years.

"You fucking worthless pig," she said, somehow preventing her voice from breaking as she spat at him. "You just proved that in all the time we were together, you never really loved me. Go to _hell_, Matt!" With that, she spun on her heel and stalked out of the room before the bastard could say anything more to her.


	54. Chapter 54

Adam was exhausted and sweaty after his match. He headed down the hallway, back to his locker room, his mind on only showering and getting back to Amy. He was anxious to get out of here and take her back to the hotel.

The tall blond man smiled as he pushed his way into the room, the urge to just go to her and kiss her long and hard hitting him. He was having a good night for sure. But as he entered the locker room, his smile suddenly faded.

She was crying... Amy was sprawled on the couch, her arms folded on the arm of the furniture, head lowered onto them, and she was sobbing. He could hear it, and he could see her shaking.

"Amy?" he asked softly. He winced as he made his way straight to her, concern consuming him. He knelt down before her, his hands gentle as he placed them on her knees.

The redhead's sobs stopped for the briefest moment, and she raised her head to look down, their eyes instantly meeting.

Adam winced as he took in the extent of sorrow in her lovely face. Her hazel eyes were bloodshot, her face tear-stained. She'd obviously been crying for awhile, and he couldn't help but wonder why. Somehow, he didn't think this had anything to do with her hormones going all haywire from being pregnant. Besides, she'd pretty much been fine before tonight.

"Baby, what's wrong?" he asked, his tone soft and soothing. He slid his hand up her arm, caressing her lovingly. "Why are you crying?"

Amy sniffled, shaking her head. She was being ridiculous - wasn't she? Why should it bother her or hurt in the least that he'd never truly loved her? Why should that upset her at all, especially when she knew in her heart that she'd never really been in love with him because her heart, just like her child, had belonged to another man?

"I... I talked to Matt," she confessed, and Adam stiffened. "I confronted him."

"You what?" the tall blond man asked. He was shocked, as they'd agreed to both just ignore the elder Hardy after all the comments he'd made about them on his website.

"I couldn't help it," the redhead stated. She raised one hand to her face, pushing stray strands of hair away. "I know it was stupid, and..." She shook her head again as she was once again overcome by tears. Damn that bastard to hell! "He called me a whore, so I confronted him. He knows I'm not that! He _knows_!" She grew angry again and smacked her hand down on the arm of the couch, sobs coming again.

"Oh, baby." Adam temporarily pushed his fury to the backburner as he instead concentrated on her and on stopping her tears. He pushed forward, his arms going gently around her waist, pulling her to him. Remaining on his knees before her, he buried his face into her stomach, tenderly kissing her there. He nuzzled her, then placed his ear against her abdomen. The gesture was so sweet, so tender that it caused the redhead to cry even harder. Nonetheless, she lowered both hands to his head, twining her fingers into his hair as she held him in place. God, she loved him. He was giving her strength right now, and so much love.

The blond man closed his eyes, his emotions doing battle inside of him. He wanted to make her feel good, take away her tears and sorrow. He felt her small, soft hands stroking his sweaty hair, holding him more securely against her. He pulled back after awhile and gazed up into her still sad face, his heart in his eyes.

Amy blinked with emotion as she moved her hand from his hair to cup his stubbled cheek. He was really so amazingly sweet, and she wondered what she had ever done to deserve him. He was like a godsend. Sometimes, she really felt like pinching herself to see if this was real and that she truly had him. However, instead, she bent over, forward, her face closer to his. His breath felt so warm on her face, and her eyes closed as their lips met.

Adam felt as though he were spiraling, falling as the kiss continued for a long, drawn moment. She invoked in him feelings he'd never known. She'd always been quite good at doing that. And it upset him so badly to know that she was hurting. He began to feel his anger seeping back in, and he knew he was going to have to do something to expend it.

Abruptly, he pulled back, noting the look in his fiancee's eyes. Hurt... She looked so hurt, but he wasn't sure it was from him breaking the kiss so suddenly or from her incident with Matt a little earlier. Fortunately, however, she didn't seem to be reading the true emotion that was bubbling to the surface inside of him.

"I'm going to go grab a shower," he said. He began to get back to his feet, his hand pressing to her cheek. She turned her head slightly to nuzzle him, her own hand coming up to grab his. "You stay here, and I'll be back soon. Okay?"

The redhead nodded.

Good... She seemed to be a bit calmer now. He was glad he'd managed to comfort her well. He went to his stuff to retrieve a bag of soap, shampoo and other stuff as well as street clothes to change into. He would indeed be showering, but first, he had a stop to make on the way.

"Hurry back here," Amy said softly, her hazel eyes full of love as she gazed up at him.

The tall blond man offered her a small smile and nodded.

"I will." With that, he ducked out of the room, his features hardening the moment he was out in the hallway and had the door closed behind him. He briskly made his way down the corridor, his hand clenching into a fist as he had one definite purpose in mind.


	55. Chapter 55

Matt mumbled to himself, annoyed. Yet at the same time, a grin slowly came to his face as he recalled the look of deep hurt on her face. That sure made him happy, because lord knew, the bitch deserved it and so much more.

He looked up at the sudden sound at the locker room door, fully expecting Jeff, but it was not his brother after all. In a flash, and before he could react, a blur of blond whirled in and at him. The next thing Matt knew, he was tackled to the floor.

Adam sat on the other man's chest as he pummeled him with both fists. All he could see was red as he pounded the man he'd once considered a close friend.

"You fucking no good son of a bitch! You made her cry, asshole! You made her _cry_!"

Matt let out a yelp as he attempted to block some of the blows the furious blond man administered. It seemed to be a futile effort until finally, he managed to sock the other man in the jaw.

A cruel smile came to the elder Hardy's face as he saw the sudden moment of weakness in the other man. He was going to take full advantage of it as well. And so, he swung again, catching the Canadian in the nose. Blood suddenly appeared, and Matt laughed with triumph.

It was short-lived however, as Adam was on him again, punching him right back in his own face. Matt howled as he raised his arms to protect himself, the blond man sputtering a string of obscenities as he hit him with both fists.

And that was when he suddenly heard the screams.

Amy had come rushing over, as she'd sensed something awry. She hadn't missed the anger in Adam's eyes as she'd told him she'd seen Matt. He'd left her so abruptly, she'd had a feeling he would go after the asshole.

"Stop it!" she cried from the doorway. It took everything within her not to literally get between the two men to stop the fight.

By now, Adam had Matt back on his feet and slammed the other man into the lockers.

"Get away, Amy!" he shouted. "You're pregnant! I'm not going to put you in harm's way!"

The redhead was frantic as she stepped further into the room in spite of her fiance's words.

"Stop fighting!" she cried. "Adam, your nose!" She hadn't missed the blood and was by now sobbing. She hoped his nose hadn't been broken. She wasn't even aware of the crowd that had gathered just outside the locker room, the excited voices of their fellow wrestlers and backstage people. She remained unaware, that is, until Fit Finlay, Sarge, Dean Malenko and some other men pushed their way inside to separate the two.

"Enough!" an angry voice shouted.

Amy whirled around to see Shane McMahon enter the room. The boss' son of course had a lot of stroke around here, and he did not look the least bit happy. This was not good at all. She bit her lip, fearing the worst. At the very least, Adam would get in trouble and be reprimanded, possibly suspended. In the worst case scenario, he would get in trouble, reprimanded and fired. She hoped for the former.

"Get out of here!" Shane barked at the other superstars who had gathered around to witness the fight. "This doesn't concern you!"

People began to scatter, and the redhead blinked back more tears.

"You two," the young man said, turning back toward Adam and Matt, "go clean yourselves up and then - my office, _pronto_!"

The men holding Matt steered him toward the door. The dark-haired man glared murderously at Amy as he passed her, and the redhead's heart pounded uncomfortably in triple-time at that look. It chilled her to the bone.

"Oh, God... Adam!" She threw herself into his arms as the men holding him released him. The tall blond man held her as carefully as he could manage, not wanting to get blood all over her.

Afterward, she winced as she peered up into his face. Not a word was spoken between them as she led him to a bathroom to help him tend to his bloody nose.


	56. Chapter 56

Fortunately for Adam, his nose didn't seem to be broken. It was tender, but thanks to Amy, the blood had stopped. They had also made a quick stop at the trainer's room for an icepack, which the tall blond man now held to his aching jaw.

"I'm going now," he announced as they headed back out into the arena hallway. "Getting this over with," he muttered, his green eyes glittering with rage. He thought about all the things he wanted to do to that pitiful piece of shit Matt Hardy.

"I'm coming with you."

"No," the Canadian said emphatically. He lowered the icepack and faced her seriously. "This is between me and him."

Amy started to stubbornly protest, but he silenced her with two fingers to her lips.

"I'm going alone," he insisted. "I don't know that it's not going to get volatile in there. Ames, you're pregnant - and even if you weren't, I'm not going to put you in any danger. Please, baby..."

She pressed her lips together and merely eyed him silently.

"Please," he continued. "Go to Jay and Trish. Stay with them for the time being, and I'll come and get you when this is over."

The redhead gazed somberly up into his eyes. For a moment, Adam wasn't sure she was going to protest again and insist on going with him. But then, finally, she nodded with resignation.

"Okay. I'll go to Jay and Trish..." She bit her lip, again appearing on the verge of tears. "... I love you, Adam."

The blond man managed a small smile for his fiancee's benefit.

"I love you, too." With that, he turned and headed down the hall to Shane McMahon's office. He knew Amy would be worrying terribly as she waited for him, and he felt badly for that. At the same time, and as he reached the office, he didn't feel the least bit of remorse for what he'd done. Matt deserved everything he'd given him - every blow - and so much more. When he thought of all the nerve the man had for everything he'd said and done to Amy, it made it worth having beaten the shit out of him. Adam actually wished he'd put Matt in the hospital. He wanted to make that bastard cry as he'd done to the redhead.

As he stepped into Shane's office, a sneer came to his face, and he stiffened. Matt was already there, standing in wait. The blond man briefly lowered his icepack and openly glared at the other man.

"All right now," the boss' son spoke, moving over to the door and closing it. He came back around to face both men. "Matt... Adam... This hatred between the two of you has gone on long enough. It's not funny, and it's not amusing to me, to your co-workers, or to Vince."

Adam perked up a bit at the mention of Shane's father and chairman of the company. If Vince McMahon himself was aware of this situation, it couldn't be a good thing.

"The question now is... What do we do about this?" Shane said as he began to pace the small length of the floor. "Let's see... We could... turn it into an angle for TV."

Adam frowned at such a ludicrous suggestion. It was very much like the WWE to do such a thing, but he disliked the idea.

"Or... You two could put your differences aside and call a truce." The young man didn't fail to notice the slight scowl that came to Matt Hardy's face at his words. He also took not of the developing shiner under the man's left eye.

"Or... We could release one of you."

That last suggestion knocked the breath out of Adam, and he blinked, trying to keep as composed as possible. If he lost his job, his career, over this bullshit with this bastard...

Shane spoke again.

"We could do that... Getting rid of both of you would not be a good idea. As my father would say, it would not be good for business." He stopped pacing and turned to look over both men standing in his office. Neither looked happy at all, and he didn't blame them. "In any case, one out of two of those three options is going to happen. But for now, you two need to stay away from each other," Shane said firmly, his dark eyes traveling from Matt to Adam and then back on Matt, where they lingered. "And you need to stay away from Amy Dumas as well," he stressed, addressing the dark-haired man.

Neither of the two spoke, but the Canadian somehow managed to keep his temper in check.


	57. Chapter 57

"So, the end result is that one of us is going to be released," Adam concluded. He had just relayed the story of his and Matt's meeting with Shane McMahon to their two closest friends.

Jay and Trish both wore horrified looks on their faces. The short-haired blond man spoke first.

"Well, that's just... shit."

"God, Adam," Trish said. Her expression grew sad. "Do you think the company might choose to get rid of _you_ rather than _him_?"

Amy, who was seated in the booth beside Adam, winced. The Canadian diva's suggestion could not happen... It simply _couldn't_.

The tall blond man shook his head.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully. He glanced down at their plates of food. He'd felt downright numb ever since the meeting. Immediately following it, he'd told Amy the outcome, and she had gone white as a sheet. Her worried expression had also grown to flat-out terror.

"It couldn't be _you_," Jay protested, cramming some french fries into his mouth. "You weren't the one who started this whole thing - Matt never should've posted anything about you, Amy or Amanda on his website." He shook his head with disgust as he swallowed. Then, "It's a big load of bullshit."

Trish nodded, agreeing with her boyfriend.

"I understand that he's upset and bitter about stuff, but..." She shook her head. "... He's just taking things too far. And if you ask me, _he's_ the one who's risking his job, not _you_, Adam."

Amy remained silent as she considered Trish's words. The blonde was right - she had to be. Okay, so she and Adam had been dishonest in the beginning of their relationship... Even so, that gave Matt Hardy no right to be so horrible, to taunt Adam and mention Mandy's name on a public forum. For God's sake, Mandy was just a child, innocent to everything going on around her. And when she thought about how low Matt had sunk in mentioning that sweet, precious little angel... In trashing her by calling her terrible names - even in front of her daughter!

It felt as though the walls were closing in on her, and she was completely helpless. She had no control and was incapable of adequately fighting back. Suddenly, she felt the overwhelming need to get up, rush to the bathroom, splash some cold water on her face.

"Excuse me," she said softly, her temples tingling as she rose. As Adam stood up and slipped out of the booth to let her out, she hoped the tears would not fall. She stepped away, her heart hammering so hard and fast in her chest, she feared it would break free. She murmured a thank you to her fiance, saying she would be right back, and then suddenly, everything started getting smaller and smaller, darker and darker in her vision. and then, as though in slow motion, she felt herself slipping to the floor.

She thought she heard a scream, accompanied by some shouts.

Adam watched her like a hawk, his eyes never leaving her. God, he was worried.

He felt his heartbeat quicken as he realized she was coming back. Gently, he patted her cheek, finding it slightly cool.

"Amy? Baby, can you hear me?"

The redhead's eyes slowly fluttered open, and she looked up into the blond man's face. Blurry... He was blurry, but she knew it was him.

"Oh, my God! Girl, are you okay?"

Trish... That was definitely Trish's voice.

"Give her some air," a male voice that wasn't Adam's demanded. She knew that was Jay.

Quickly, her eyes focused again, and she was somewhat disoriented as she tried to sit up. There was an entire crowd gathered around her. EMTs were there, too.

"Adam? Wh-what... What's wrong with me?"

The expression on his face was so tender, so very concerned.

"You fainted, sweetie," he replied.

A female EMT spoke up next.

"It doesn't appear to have been caused by anything serious," she explained. "From what your fiance said, it looks like stress brought it on."

Amy raised a hand to her brow. She'd passed out due to stress?

"The baby..." she said, her gaze finding Adam's green eyes.

"Shh... It's okay, Ames... We'll go to the hospital and you'll get checked out - just to be safe."

The redhead nodded gratefully and allowed him and an EMT to help her to her feet and out to the ambulance waiting outside.


	58. Chapter 58

_A Few Days Later_

Amy entered the office tentatively, her teeth biting down gently on her lower lip. She'd gotten word at the women's locker room that Stephanie McMahon wanted to see her, and she wondered what this could all be about.

The brunette looked up, concern in her eyes as she spotted the redhead. Then, standing up from the chair behind her desk, she smiled and beckoned to the other woman.

"Amy, hello... Thanks for coming to see me."

"No problem, Stephanie," the redhead replied, giving the youngest McMahon a smile of her own.

"Please," the brunette stated with a wave of her right hand, "sit."

Amy did exactly that and folded her hands primly in her lap, her legs crossed gracefully.

"I heard about your fainting spell a few nights ago," Stephanie began. Her brow creased with worry as she looked the other woman over. "Are you all right?"

The redhead let out a slight sigh of relife at the question. Why had she been so fearful that, somehow, she'd gotten into trouble? She raised a hand to her forehead, brushing away some stray strands of her hair from her eyes.

"I'm fine, Stephanie," she answered gratefully. "Thanks for asking. It was just stress," she explained.

"So, the baby is all right?"

"Perfectly fine." The redhead smiled, and for the first time since she'd stepped in to see the brunette, she actually felt it. She went on to elaborate, telling Stephanie how she'd been so worried, and so she'd gone to see her doctor after the episode - just to ensure that the EMT had been right in her assessment that she'd passed out solely from stress.

"Thank God," Stephanie said. She too breathed a sigh of relief, then reached across the desk to pat Amy's arm. "I can understand your stress... And let me just say that I personally don't blame Adam one bit for what's been going on between him and Matt. Matt Hardy has really gotten to be quite the ass." She made a face full of distaste.

Amy's expression darkened at the mention of her loathed ex-boyfriend. Why did he have to behave that way? Why couldn't he just grow up? She'd known he would be upset, but he'd really taken things to an extreme, and for far too long as well. It was high time he moved on.

"Anyway..." Stephanie continued. "... My brother is supposed to be meeting with our dad to discuss that situation."

Amy perked up a bit as the young woman went on.

"As soon as Shane gets an answer from him, he'll be calling Adam and Matt in for another meeting." Her blue eyes somehow seemed full of sympathy - and that made the redhead's stomach clench up in knots. Could Stephanie know something? Was there something she wasn't telling her?

Amy couldn't speak. Somehow, she was struck with a loss for words, and damn it, she was beginning to feel sick. She made a small sound of displeasure and raised a hand to her mouth.

Before the brunette had a chance to speak and ask if she was okay, Amy bolted up from the chair. She was feeling more queasy by the second.

"Excuse me," she managed, then hurried out and to the nearest restroom - which, thankfully, wasn't far at all.

She wasn't sure it was the morning sickness, her horrid fear of Adam being fired, or a combination of both, that made her so ill.


	59. Chapter 59

"Mommy! Daddy!" Mandy cried, a big smile on the girl's pretty face. She ran from Linda and straight to her parents.

Adam, at a knelt position, opened his arms to his daughter, and she rushed into his embrace.

"Oh, Blondie... How are you, my love?"

"Good, Daddy!" Amanda smiled as she looked into his face, then exchanged a small kiss with him.

Amy laughed softly as she stood beside them, watching the exchange. As always, she found their interaction to be so precious. She lived for moments like this. She found herself anxious for Christmas to come in a few more weeks, knowing what a wonderful family time that would be. Because of their hectic schedules, they still hadn't had a chance to visit Adam's mother, and Judy Copeland had yet to meet her granddaughter. That would be yet another special moment, one to always be cherished.

"Mommy!"

"Hi, sweetheart. How was your day?" the redhead asked. She knelt down a bit, thankful that she didn't experience a dizzy spell in the process. Lately, she'd been feeling not only sick as her pregnancy progressed, but very tired a lot of the time, and dizzy as well. And she was also at that point where she had to pee a lot as well. At only four months now, she knew from experience in her pregnancy with Mandy that that particular aspect would only worsen as she got bigger.

Amy straightened up as Linda approached the small, happy family. She offered the woman a smile.

"How are you?" the nanny inquired. Briefly, her gaze traveled to Adam and Amanda. The tall blond man was now being led by the hand by the little girl, and she was trying to tug him over somewhere to look at something.

"I'm doing very well," Amy replied gratefully. "A little stressed out, but good otherwise."

Linda nodded. She'd always liked Amy Dumas so much and found her to be such a sweetheart.

"You know I'm always here for you, dear... For you, Adam, and especially darling Amanda."

"I know, Linda. Thank you." The redhead embraced the nanny, realizing she was beginning to get teary and choked up.

When they released one another, Amy sniffled with emotion. The older woman was almost like a second mother to her.

"Mandy, Adam," she called, glancing back over her shoulder at them. "Linda is leaving now!"

Adam scooped the little girl up and carried her as he made his way back to them. He offered the kind nanny a bright smile.

"I know I probably don't say it enough," he began, "but thank you. Thanks for being so great with Blondie here."

Linda smiled softly and nodded.

"It's my pleasure."

When she left moments later, Adam wrapped one arm around Amy, nuzzling her hair as she sank into his touch. She smelled so incredible to him. And she was so beautiful, it took his breath away. She'd always been gorgeous, but ever since she'd been pregnant, she was absolutely glowing.

"Have I told you how much I love you?"

The redhead smiled as she gazed up into his handsome face. Those ethereally beautiful forest-green eyes of his were sparkling.

"Not in the last ten minutes, no," she quipped.

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I love you."

Mandy smiled and clung onto her father, her right hand, as always, playing with his long golden hair that was so much like her own.

For the first time in over a week, Amy was feeling was feeling truly good... More so than that, she hadn't been plagued by anxiety. She'd pretty much all but put the situation out of her mind - for the time being. Even so, she knew that it couldn't be possible that Adam would be the one in trouble. He wasn't even in hot water after the fight...

... But then again, neither was Matt. Or _was_ he?

She didn't want to think about that. Her mood had been so good these last few days. They'd just finished up the court papers to have Mandy's last name changed legally. So now, she was officially a Copeland. This had taken place a few days earlier, and Adam had been so happy, he'd shed some tears of joy right alongside the redhead. And they were getting married at the City Hall when they were back home this coming Wednesday. Adam had assumed Amy wanted a big, fancy wedding with the works, but she'd told him she didn't care... All she wanted was him.

She thought she couldn't be any happier... And she had a doctor's appointment in a few days as well, to check on the baby - she was getting a sonogram.

Finally, the three of them headed into the arena. But they all failed to notice the pair of eyes watching them with hatred and malice.


	60. Chapter 60

Matt scowled as he returned to his locker room. His hands clenched into fists as he thought about what he'd just witnessed.

It made him sick... The happy family. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair! He should be the one there with Amy and Amanda. What the hell had Adam Copeland cared about the redhead? For six years, the blond man had never so much as tried to contact Amy - that much, he knew.

Fuck him... Matt frowned as he thought about his ex-girlfriend. The truth was, he couldn't care less about Amy now. She was a miserable, sneaky, cheating bitch. She deserved every single thing he'd said about her on his website. And so did that no good bastard Adam. He smirked sardonically then as he thought about the tall blond man. That guy was supposed to have been his friend... Well, with friends like that, he knew he didn't need any enemies.

As he sat there in the locker room, taping up in hands in preparation for his match, a surge of hatred hit him even harder. Now, he might lose his job because Adam had instigated that fight the other week. The son of a bitch.

Matt was finished with getting ready and fully dressed for his upcoming match when a knock sounded at the door. Assuming it was just his brother Jeff, he called to the person to come in.

It was Fit Finlay - former WCW wrestler turned trainer for the WWE's female talent.

"Shane McMahon requests your presence in his office," the Irishman announced, hooking a thumb over his shoulder.

"Wha-" The darker Hardy clammed himself up, forgoing completing the word, his lips pursing tightly. This was just great... Finally, after a week of waiting, the time had come. Shane must have finally spoken with his father, and Vince had no doubt come to a conclusion.

As Matt rose to leave the room, he pushed aside all of the anger and anxiety he'd been feeling. What did he really have to be worried about? After all, Copeland had started that fight...

"Thank you both for meeting me so promptly," Shane McMahon said. As he had during the last meeting with Matt and Adam, he'd opted to stand rather than sit. However, with both men seated before his desk - their chairs decently distanced in the small space, he decided maybe it was best to sit down.

The young man kept an eye on the two wrestlers as he made his way around the desk to take a seat in his chair. Then, folding his hands on the top of his desk, he proceeded.

"As you both know, I met with Vince about your situation. He and I had a long discussion, and we came to a conclusion as to what should happen... As to whose future will be impacted, if you will."

Adam swallowed hard, his face and body language, however, showing none of the discomfort he was feeling. He sat calmly, unblinking, his hands folded, long legs spread and sprawled before him. Matt, on the other hand, seemed overly smug but hostile at the same time, his arms crossed over his chest in a defensive, protective manner.

"I don't expect," Shane continued, "that once this is taken care of here, there will be a problem with either one of you any further." Meaningfully, he looked toward Adam. For some reason, that caused the tall blond man's stomach to feel knotted. Was the man basically saying that _he_ was the problematic one, the troublemaker? He damn sure hoped not. All he'd done was react and respond when he'd been provoked!

"This truly is an unfortunate situation," Shane went on, "and Vince didn't want things to have to come to this. But we're left with no other choice."

Matt could barely refrain from rolling his eyes at the procrastination.

_'Just get this fucking over with already!'_ he thought. _'Tell that fucking Copeland he's history and end it already!'_ He dared not to speak a word of this aloud. And Shane continued speaking, prolonging the agony, so to speak, for a few minutes longer.

Finally, something changed. Shane turned his attention solely toward the Canadian.

"Adam, you are excused..."

Matt smirked with triumph as the blond man suddenly felt very ill.

"... Go get ready for your match for tonight. Matt and I need to discuss the terms of his release."

The darker man stared, incredulous. Meanwhile, Adam felt as though a momentous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Without a word - as, at the moment, he found himself incapable of speech - he nodded and rose to leave the office.

The tall blond man nearly ran back to his locker room. Amy was waiting there, and if he knew her, he knew she was by now pacing the floor.

Quickly, he let himself in, a look of excitement coming into his eyes.

"It's over, baby," he said.

The redhead rushed to him, her hazel eyes growing bright.

"What? What do you mean?"

"I'm safe," he told her. His arms wound around her thickening waist. "He's out, I'm staying."

"Thank God!" She burrowed against him, shedding tears of joy and relief.


	61. Chapter 61

Jeff Hardy rummaged through his bag for some bodypaint to apply in preparation for his upcoming match.

"Aha," he said as he finally located a can full of light blue. He smiled in triumph and was just about to remove the cap when the door of his locker room suddenly burst open - violently. The young man gave a slight jump, startled.

"Oh, it's only you," he said as his older brother strode right in.

"Yeah, Jeff," Matt snapped harshly, "it's only _me_." He turned toward the wall, banging a fist against it as he cursed. "Fuck!"

The colorful-haired man arched an eyebrow, though he already knew why his sibling would be so furious. There could only be one or two reasons.

"What's the matter?"

Matt whirled around to face him, his brown eyes wild as he met Jeff's green.

"'What's the _matter_?' There is no way in hell you're that oblivious! I'll tell you what's the matter - I've just been fired! Shit!" He reached out to grab the first thing in his reach, and that was the beaded necklace Jeff had taken off and placed on the small table in the room. Lunging for it, the dark-haired man ripped it apart in his bare hands, then tossed the remnants down to the floor in a fury.

"Hey! Damn it, man, you don't have to take it out on my stuff!" Jeff yelled. Angrily, he started down at the broken pieces of what had been his favorite necklace. Lately, he was seeing more and more just how much of an asshole his brother was becoming - or had already become. He knew all about the shit Matt had posted on his website, and as far as he was concerned, he believed Adam and Amy had cause to bring on a libel suit against him.

"God damn it!" Matt shouted. He raised his hands to his head, fingers digging into his hair. He seemed to be trying to calm himself and then spoke again, in a level tone. "I'm sorry, Jeff... I've just been so angry lately."

"Well, no shit," the younger man snapped. He was still angry, and frankly, he couldn't see that feeling going away anytime soon. Matt had really gone off the deep end. "Will you just-"

"No, I won't _'just_!'" Jeff snapped. "Look, Matt - what you've been doing lately, and saying, is wrong! You've been a real ass these last couple of months, and as far as I'm concerned, it's your _own_ _fault_ you got fired!"

Matt tensed at his brother's angry words, his hands clenching into fists. His eyes widened nearly in shock as he glared at Jeff, his blood boiling. He couldn't believe his ears... His own _brother_ was against him - just like everyone else!

"You ungrateful little prick!" he screamed. He grew even angrier as Jeff's reaction didn't grow anymore intense. "After everything I've ever done for you, _this_ is how you repay me? I made you what you are today, Jeffrey Nero Hardy!" Spit sprayed from his mouth as he continued to sputter. "Fuck you!" Then, rather than beat his little brother to a pulp as his instincts begged him to, he turned and stormed out.

Jeff stared at the door through which Matt had departed for a beat. Then, turning his attention back to his ruined necklace, he shook his head. He bent over to pick up the remains.

--

Matt marched back to his own locker room, rage still burning through him. He couldn't believe this, couldn't believe even his own brother. The world had turned against him, it seemed.

He hastily packed all of his things, tossing everything haphazardly into his suitcase. He didn't give a shit how messy it all was - all he wanted was to get the hell out of this damned arena as soon as humanly possible.

The moment he was through, he lugged his bag toward the door and left the room. He'd already gone through all the bullshit of the 'exit interview' with Shane McMahon, so there was really no need for him to stay. He didn't even want to bother saying goodbye to his good friends Shane Helms and Shannon Moore... Fuck that. He needed out of here!

As he stepped out into the hallway, Matt caught sight of them... They were further on down the hall, together - seemingly happy.

He stood there for a moment, his glare hard and cold as chipped ice. Amy and Adam were holding hands, and little Mandy was there with them, smiling and happy.

He wanted to hurt them... Adam was a no good backstabbing son of a bitch, and Amy was a filthy whore. Not to mention, all of this was _her_ fault! God, how he wanted to make her suffer... The _bitch_!

They weren't aware of him at all, but he supposed that shouldn't surprise him. He kept his harsh, glaring gaze on them, alternating from Adam to Amy, when it suddenly struck him...

... He had the most brilliant idea, the perfect way to get back at them and destroy them.

Matt grinned with malice as he finally turned and continued on his way to leave the arena.


	62. Chapter 62

_Later That Week_

Adam gently gripped Amy's hand as the doctor examined her. The redhead was stretched out comfortably on the examining table, the gel spread across her abdomen for the sonogram.

"Everything appears to be progressing smoothly," Dr. Rita Waters said with a smile. "And there's your baby."

Amy blinked with emotion at the picture on the screen. When she'd been pregnant with Mandy, she'd had trouble making out the baby's image - but this time, she wasn't experiencing such difficulty.

"Wow," Adam said as he eyed the screen. "That's amazing!" This was still all very new to him, as he was still getting used to the fact that he was already a father. Months after learning that Mandy was his, he still had difficulty believing it at times.

"I can tell you the sex of the baby if you like..."

The redhead met the tall blond man's eyes at that instant, trying to read him. Should they find out now, or wait to be surprised when she gave birth? The truth was, they hadn't really talked about that.

Quickly, she made up her mind.

"I don't want to know," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I liked being surprised when I had my daughter."

Adam seemed uncertain. On one hand, he _would_ like to know the sex of the baby now, but on the other, the redhead would probably not be happy if he knew and she _didn't_. In that sense, it was quite easy to make up his mind.

"I guess I'll wait to be surprised, too." He met Amy's hazel gaze. There was a tiny smile playing at her lips.

"Okay," Dr. Waters said. "If you change your minds, you can always give me a call."

"We'll keep that in mind," Amy said, her gaze never leaving the blond man. She felt more in love with him than ever.

The appointment soon came to an end, and they left. Adam smiled almost to himself as they made their way back to the car.

"What?" Amy asked. Somehow, she knew his grin was for more than just the knowledge that everything was going along smoothly.

"I was just wondering, that's all."

The redhead smirked.

"Well, of course," she quipped. "But what were you wondering?" She crossed her arms, smiling in amusement, as she knew what his answer would be.

He got into the driver's side of the car and slammed the door. Then, he turned to face her, a soft smile still on his handsome face. "Just whether we're having another girl or a boy."

Instinctively, Amy's right hand went to her stomach, which had only just begun to show slight traces of her pregnancy. She was excited... Just like the blond man, she too was anxious to know the sex of the baby - but she preferred the element of surprise. She also wondered when the baby would start to kick.

She looked down at herself for a beat, then raised her gaze to meet the brilliant green orbs of the love of her life.

"What do you want it to be?"

"Honestly?" Adam said. "I don't care, as long as it's healthy." He reached out for her hand, and the redhead took it and smiled. She really felt wonderful. She had this amazing man, a beautiful little girl, and a great career. The company was extremely supportive of her during this time. No longer would she have to worry about Adam possibly losing his job, or about Matt Hardy.

"Oh, my God..." she said, a feeling of overwhelment coming to her, but in a good way. "... I can't believe we're getting married tomorrow!"

Adam gazed into her hazel eyes, his heart absolutely fluttering. Never in his life had a woman made him feel the way Amy did. He counted his lucky stars to have been so fortunate as to have her in his life.

"Nervous?" he asked. He raised their clasped hands and turned them over to kiss the back of hers. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said, smiling softly. She couldn't imagine not being as happy as she was now.


	63. Chapter 63

Amy glanced at her reflection through the full-length mirror, turning around to get a better, thorough look. She smiled, although she was nervous. She liked the dress she'd purchased for the occasion.

"Mommy, you look so pretty!"

The redhead turned, smiling still as her gaze caught Mandy. The little girl was clad in a pretty dress of her own, all pink and white and so adorable. Her long blonde hair was tied in a high ponytail, ribbons in it.

"Thank you, sweetie," she said, bending toward her daughter for a hug.

She felt great... She and Adam were getting married today! And as she straightened up and smoothed her hand over the side of Mandy's blonde head, she glimpsed down at her belly. She never would've envisioned being pregnant on her wedding day - at least not the point where she was actually showing - but life was funny. This was proof that you never knew what life could throw your way.

"There are my two girls..."

Amy whirled around at the sound of his voice, her heart melting as she caught sight of him in his suit. Adam had a soft smile on his handsome face, his long blond hair freshly washed and loose. There was a sparkle in his emerald eyes as he gazed at her.

Despite herself, the redhead felt a blush seeping into her cheeks. The intensity of his gaze just about swept her off her feet. The knowledge that she was going to be his wife in less than two hours had exactly the same effect as well.

"Wow," he breathed as he inched closer to her from the doorway. "You just look..." His gaze swept over her from head to toe. "... you're so beautiful. Glowing and radiant."

Amy sighed as his arms encircled her, his face so near to hers, his breath feeling deliciously warm against her skin. One of his large hands was at her stomach, cupping the still small bulge of their baby. She melted at his touch, sinking into it.

The blond man nuzzled her tenderly, excited about the wedding. In the last six and a half years, he'd never been able to rid her from his mind or heart - and now, she would finally be his in a legal, official way as well. He sought her lips, his tongue easily slipping into her mouth and tangling gently with hers.

He'd all but nearly forgotten that Mandy was still in the room - until he felt her small hand tugging on his arm. He broke the kiss, instantly kneeling down to their daughter's level.

"Don't you look pretty," he said genially. "What's up, Blondie?"

Amanda swung back and forth slightly from side to side, her arms behind her back.

"Daddy..." she began almost shyly. "... Are you and Mommy going away on a honeymoon after you get married?"

"'Fraid not, short stuff... We have to get back to work on Friday." He looked up to meet Amy's hazel gaze as he continued. "But someday, we will."

The redhead blew him a kiss. Her heart positively swelled with love for this man.

She felt Mandy snuggle up against her side and lowered her hand to the girl's soft hair. Her gaze still locked on Adam's, she mouthed, _'I love you.'_ Aloud, she said, "We'd better get a move on... Jay and Trish are waiting for us."


	64. Chapter 64

"... And by the state of Florida, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Adam, you may kiss your bride."

The blond man glanced from the Justice of the Peace to gaze at Amy - his new wife... The redhead had tears streaming down her cheeks. She was emotional as it was, thanks to pregnancy hormones. But unlike the times when she grew so emotional lately, there was a soft smile on her face. Eagerly, she tilted her head up to him as Adam pressed forward to kiss her, his arms encircling her waist. He slipped his tongue past her lips briefly as she clung onto him, and his heart soared. They were married now... She was his officially and in her heart alike.

When they stopped kissing, he looked up and over at Jay and Trish in turn. His best friend's face wore a small smile. His girlfriend wore a similar gesture, the happiness toward them shining plainly through. The couple had served as their two witnesses, as well as Best Man and Maid of Honor. Mandy was between them, her little hand clutching at Trish's as she watched her parents.

The moment the happy couple parted, the tall blond man knelt down to the little girl's level. He eyed her silently for a beat, and she smiled at him. He felt himself suddenly growing choked up with emotion as he swept his daughter into his embrace, his strong arms hugging her securely against him. One of his hands smoothed down her long, soft, fine blonde hair.

"I love you, Blondie."

Amanda held tightly to her father, burrowing her face into his long blond hair.

"I love you, too, Daddy," she said softly.

When Adam let Mandy go, Amy stooped over to hug her.

"Congratulations, man," Jay said as his best friend straightened up.

"Thanks... You know I couldn't have done it without you guys," Adam said, eyeing Jay and then Trish in turn.

"Sure you could have."

Trish giggled as she watched the exchange between the two best friends. The guys exchanged a warm, masculine hug, and then she stepped over to the tall blond groom to give him a hearty kiss on the cheek and a hug.

"You two are going to be _so_ happy!" she exclaimed. "Mandy too."

"Thank you," Adam said softly as he and Trish were still hugging. "Thank you for being there and for being such a good friend to Amy - and for being so good with Mandy."

The little blonde smiled up at him as they released one another. Her eyes were telling him there was no need for thanks. She turned toward the redhead afterward, and they too embraced.

"I love you, Trish," Amy said, tears threatening to overwhelm her yet again. "You've become like the sister I never had."

This time, it was the Canadian woman's turn to get choked up.

"Oh, Amy... I feel the same way!" She hugged the taller woman again, the two rocking back and forth slightly.

"Who's ready for a great big, juicy steak?" Adam suddenly asked. The question seemed a bit out of context, but the group had decided earlier that they would go out to dinner immediately following the ceremony.

"Ooh, I am!" Mandy cried, raising her little hand.

Everyone laughed heartily.

"And you," the tall blond man said as he reached down for the child's hand, "have eyes bigger than your stomach!"

The blonde girl laughed.

--

The dinner had been delicious, and everyone left feeling happy and satisfied. Mandy had even had an ice cream for dessert, something she didn't get to have too often. They'd made an entire evening of it.

"Well, I guess we'll call it a night," Jay said, his hand gripping Trish's much smaller one as they stood just outside the restaurant. "Congratulations again."

"Thank you," Amy said with a warm smile. "It's been a wonderful night."

The adults all exchanged hugs, and both Trish and Jay hugged and kissed Amanda.

"Next time, can we play MarioKart?" the girl asked Jay, her hazel eyes full of gleaming mischief.

"Sure thing, kiddo - and I'll even let you beat me again."

Adam laughed. His best friend was just like him - even down to sucking at videogames so as to get beaten by a six-year-old.

Not a single one of the group was aware of the person watching them from afar.


	65. Chapter 65

His dark eyes were sharp and hard as he watched them. They were all dressed in nice, fancy clothing, and he knew what was up. They'd just gotten married - he _knew_ it.

Trish Stratus and Jay Reso were retreating from the small family, and he watched as they walked off to their own car. Jay unlocked the passenger's side door first, chivalrously opening it for his girlfriend. The little blonde stepped inside gracefully, Jay slammed the door after her, and then made his way around to the driver's side.

The moment they drove away, his gaze shifted back to the Copelands. Adam and Amy were both waving after their friends' car, and little Amanda stood by them. He fixed his eyes from one to the other, then to the little girl. He despised those two, and as he'd promised himself the last time he'd been inside an arena, he was going to make their lives hell on earth.

As Matt continued to watch them, they suddenly started walking toward their car. He gave a slight start until he realized they weren't going to approach him. They were going in the opposite direction. His eyes narrowed as they reached it, and the tall blond man unlocked the door, Mandy hopping into the backseat first. Amy looked in after her daughter, most likely telling the child to buckle her seatbelt. She'd always done that, ever since Amanda was old enough to do so. And then, she got into the passenger's side and shut the door. Meanwhile, her new husband was already in on the driver's side.

The elder Hardy brother sat there silently in the rental car, his gaze still glued to the car. They suddenly drove by, and he managed to keep his eyes on it as the vehicle drew farther and farther away.

His mind was made up - he was going to follow them to their house.

--

Mandy kept yawning all throughout the short ride back home, a fact that was not lost on Adam. He smiled as he caught sight of his daughter in the rearview mirror. The sight of her relaxing in the backseat in her pretty dress caused him to feel a warmth spreading throughout his insides. All in all, it had been the most wonderful day and evening he could remember in awhile. As they reached the house, he pulled the car into the driveway, his gaze finding Amy's as she smiled prettily at him. He put the car in park, then turned off the ignition and pocketed the keys.

Amanda followed behind her parents, trailing behind a little, as she was so sleepy. Adam turned back to watch her, his heartstrings tugging. He realized that he was supposed to carry his new bride over the threshold, but the way he saw it right now, more likely he would have to do that for his daughter instead.

"Hey, Blondie, you okay there?" he said genially.

The little girl nodded, rubbing at one of her eyes. She yawned for what had to be the fiftieth time in the last fifteen minutes.

Amy smiled softly as Adam went back for Mandy, lifting her up in his arms. They were such a sweet sight together. She actually felt tears nagging behind her eyelids at it.

"Can you play MarioKart with me?" the child asked in a small, sleepy voice. She rested her head against her father's strong shoulder.

"Not tonight, my love," he replied. "I don't think you could even keep your eyes open - I might actually _beat_ you." He exchanged glances with the redhead and winked.

Amy took the keys her new husband handed out to her, the smile still on her face as she turned to unlock the door. Inside, Princess and Creampuff were barking. In a moment, she had the door open and unlocked, and they all went inside.

"Okay," she said as she turned back toward her small family, "it's time for bed, Mandy."

"Mmm, Mommy..." Despite her obvious grogginess, the girl protested. Yet at the same time, she kept her head down on Adam's shoulder.

"Definitely time for bed," the blond man concurred. "Okay, let's go, kiddo." He cast Amy a loving gaze as she stepped closer to give the little girl a kiss goodnight. Afterward, he turned to head down the hall to Mandy's room so she could get ready for bed and put on her pajamas.

The redhead sighed happily as she too strode down the hallway, but to her bedroom. She didn't think she could possibly feel happier than she did at that very moment. As she passed the little girl's room, she heard Adam telling Mandy not to forget to brush her teeth. She grinned and continued onto the master bedroom, reaching back behind her neck to undo the clasp on her necklace. As she entered the room, she dropped it into her jewelry box on the bureau. She then removed her shoes and began to undress. A small smile crossed her lips as she listened to Adam and Mandy's voices from the other room. She could hardly wait for her newlywed husband to come to their bedroom.

--

Matt didn't bother getting out of the car, instead opting to sit there near the curb in front of the house. He supposed he was taking a big risk being here, so near them when they could easily spot him, but he was in no mood to care. He'd watched them from afar as they'd driven up here and walked up to the house. He knew Copeland had always had dogs, so he figured it was better than he just stay here. Why give those damned mutts the opportunity to bark and alert the worthless pair who'd betrayed him?

He suddenly caught a movement in one of the windows and realized he could see Amy moving throughout a room - most probably the master bedroom. He didn't have a terrific view, but he realized after a moment that she was undressing. He straightened up, craning his neck as he eyed her, disgust gripping him as he realized that Adam would most likely soon join her in the room. His stomach turned at the idea of watching or even listening to the two of them having sex. The truth was, he couldn't care less about the thought of sex with the redhead anymore, anyway. She was finally showing, and to him, it wasn't the least bit attractive. He smirked as he figured Copeland probably found her alluring despite the extra weight she was sporting these days.

In any case, he didn't care about those two backstabbers. Truth be known, he was a _lot_ more interested in Mandy.


	66. Chapter 66

There were a few more days left before Christmas, and a festive atmosphere surrounded the WWE. Amy relished the season, and she could plainly see that Mandy had taken after her in that regard.

The little girl was with them for the next few days until they were off for their holiday vacation. Amanda was already off from school and wasn't expected back until after New Year's. And she was excited about being able to meet her other grandma for the first time.

"I wanna get grandma Judy a present," she declared, and Adam's face lit up. She was an adorable and generous kid.

"She'd like that, Blondie." He was holding onto her hand as they made their way into the arena for the night's houseshow. "Why don't you make her a card?"

Sometime recently, the blond man had discovered that his daughter had inherited the same artistic talent with which he himself had been blessed. She'd been drawing with a regular pencil, and had sketched her mother - and despite being done by a six-year-old, the portrait had an amazing likeness. It had nearly taken his breath away to know that Mandy had the talent.

"Okay," she agreed. She had her little backpack filled with construction paper, pencils and crayons, not to mention other things, so he was sure she would immerse herself as soon as they got to the locker rooms.

Amy wasn't feeling all that well, thanks to a particularly nasty case of morning sickness. Lately, it seemed to be worse than ever. She knew she was going to have to step out of the arena at some point to get some crackers, which seemed to be the only thing that helped. She'd run out of her box of Ritz earlier, when they'd been on their way - but she hadn't had the chance to buy more.

"Okay," Amy said as they reached the locker room Adam would be using that night, "Daddy has a match to get ready for. I'm going to the bathroom. Mandy, do you have to go?"

The little girl shook her head.

"Are you sure?"

Now, Mandy nodded.

"Okay... Daddy needs to get ready, and I have to go out for awhile after I use the bathroom, so you'll stay with Aunt Trish until I come back. Okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," came the soft, small reply.

Adam smiled warmly as he gazed from his daughter to his wife. They were so precious to him - his two girls.

Amy edged closer to the tall blond man, a soft smile on her face as she pushed up on her toes to kiss him. He didn't have to know that she wasn't slipping out just to get more crackers. Besides, he'd find out about her surprise gift soon enough.

"I'll be back soon," she promised.

"I'll be waiting anxiously," he replied. Then, he watched as the redhead took hold of Mandy's hand. With the other, the little girl waved at him.

"Bye, Daddy."

Adam raised a hand to wave back, and then they were gone.

Amy walked briskly down the hallway, as speedily as Amanda could manage with her short little legs. Her urge to pee was growing worse by the second. She was relieved as she saw Trish in a nearby locker room, the blonde unzippering her bag.

"_There_ you are!"

Trish whirled around.

"Oh, hey!" she cried. "Hey, Mandy!" She offered both her friend and the little girl a bright smile.

"Listen, I have a favor to ask of you," Amy said.

"Sure... Anything."

"Would you watch Mandy for awhile? I need to run out for a bit. But I'll be back as quickly as I can."

Trish glanced back down at Amanda as her smile returned.

"I'd be glad to," she replied, reaching a hand out to the girl. "Come on, Mandy. We can go for a walk around the arena."

"Okay, Auntie Trish." The child smiled and eagerly took hold of the blonde woman's hand. "Bye, Mommy."

"See you later, sweetie," Amy said. "Thanks, Trish." With that, she hurried off to the nearest ladies room.

The Canadian diva looked down at Mandy.

"Are you hungry? We can get something to eat if you want."

The little girl shook her head.

"I wanna make my grandma a card."

"Well, all right," Trish said cheerily. She eyed the child as she crossed over to the floor near a low table. Amanda opened her small knapsack and pulled out an array of art supplies - crayons, construction paper and pencils. Immediately, she began to draw, immersing herself in the task.

The blonde woman smiled, then turned back to her bag for her hairbrush.

For several minutes, all was peaceful and normal. Mandy was still drawing as Trish was fiddling with her hair and then a new moisturizer she'd recently bought. Then, a sharp yelp outside in the hallway drew the blonde's attention.

Trish frowned as Mandy didn't even look up. She detected a sound like a woman crying and started toward the door.

"Honey, stay right here, okay?"

"Okay, Auntie Trish."

The petite blonde ducked out the door, closing it behind her, and noticed a form crouched on the floor a few feet away - it was Stacy Keibler.

"Stacy!" She hurried toward the fallen tall blonde woman. "Are you okay?" Trish was amazed that no one else was around to help.

"My ankle," the taller woman muttered with a wince. Gratefully, she allowed the Canadian to help her up, but once standing, she limped, crying out. "I think I sprained it."

Meanwhile, Mandy was still seated on the floor Trish's locker room, on her knees, coloring. The little girl was so busy that she didn't hear the door suddenly open and close.

"Hi, Amanda."

The girl looked up with surprise at the sound of the voice.

"Hi!" she said with a smile.

The person smiled back as the child bounded up for a hug. He couldn't help it.

"Your Mommy sent me to come get you. Come with me."

In her six-year-old mind, Mandy didn't think much of the man's words in spite of the fact that her mother had brought her to Trish Stratus.

"Come on," he repeated. "Forget your coloring."

Mandy said nothing and got up, abandoning her things. They left, the man's hand firmly gripping her tiny one.

No one noticed them, and for that, Matt Hardy was glad.


	67. Chapter 67

"Okay, honey, I'm back," Trish called as she stepped back into her locker room. "I just had to help-" Her voice trailed off as she realized that the room was deserted.

The little blonde wandered further into the room, gazing around the area with concern. She took in the paper, pencils and crayons strewn out on the low table, and the little knapsack Mandy had brought with her. They appeared... abandoned. She frowned and turned around in a small, slow circle, wondering if perhaps the little girl was playing an impromtu game of hide and seek with her.

"Mandy? Come on, Mandy, I can't play right now. Sweetie, come out, wherever you are."

There was no answer. Only an eerie silence greeted her ears.

"Mandy?" Trish said again, a strange tightness beginning to form in her throat. This was beginning to scare her. She recalled what had happened only moments earlier - she'd heard the cry out from the hallway, ran to the doorway and turned back, telling Amanda to stay right here. Yes, she'd told her. That much, she definitely remembered. Then, she'd gone out in the hall, seen Stacy Keibler on the floor after the blonde had turned her ankle. She'd helped the leggy diva to the trainer's room, which wasn't far away, and then come instantly back here to her own locker room...

... Only to find Mandy gone.

The Canadian woman took a deep breath, held it for a beat, then exhaled slowly. Okay, she had to keep her wits about her. Mandy probably realized she was hungry after all and went out to catering to get something to eat. But then she told herself that couldn't be possible - after all, catering was just down the hall further down to the right. If she'd gone there, she would've seen the little girl because she'd have had to pass her and Stacy to get there.

"Okay..." Trish said aloud in a soft voice to herself. "... She has to be around somewhere." She blinked, trying to keep calm and kept her breathing even and regular. This was exactly the kind of situation that would cause her to get into a panic. Leave it to her to be responsible for watching her friends' child only to lose her while she'd been in her care. _'Damn it, Trish!'_ she mentally told herself.

Then, a thought came to her. She felt relieved for the briefest moment as she realized that Mandy might have gone back to her father's locker room. Yes, that had to be it. She was a precocious child and knew where Adam's locker room was since she'd been there earlier in the evening. Maybe she'd meandered back there. Well, there was only one way to find out.

Quickly, she turned back toward the door and stepped back out into the hall. Her steps were brisk as she made her way toward Adam's locker room.

She reached the room in no time, her nerves rattled as she raised a hand to knock. She held her breath as she heard him moving over toward the door, and then he opened it and looked out at her.

"Hi, Adam," she said, grateful that her voice wasn't coming out as a stammer. "Is Mandy here?"

"No - I thought she was with you."

Oh, God... Trish suddenly felt faint. She raised a hand to her brow and held it there for a moment. Somehow, she couldn't even speak.

"Trish?" the tall blond man asked. He peered down at her with questioning concern, his hand going gently to her arm. "What's the matter?"

The blonde bit her lip, terror sweeping through her at the mere thought of telling him what was wrong. He was going to have an absolute fit. He'd hate her - she knew it. Somehow, a voice inside her head was screaming that no, Mandy didn't just get up and walk off somewhere on her own. Something _else_ had happened. She just _knew_ it.

"Trish?" Adam repeated, his voice slightly louder this time. "Hey."

She looked up at him, barely aware of the tears that had suddenly formed in her eyes. It was only when she blinked that she realized they were there, as a single one trickled down her right cheek.

"Oh, God," she breathed. "Adam, I... I don't know how to tell you this..."

"What?" he asked. He stared at her, an unexplained feeling of horror suddenly gripping him, but he didn't know why. What he did know was that something was very, very wrong, and Trish was giving him the creeps here. "Come on, talk to me - you're starting to scare me here!"

"Mandy..." the woman spoke. Her voice broke slightly as she let out a choked sob. "... Mandy is gone!"


	68. Chapter 68

Mandy glanced around curiously, confusion setting in. She couldn't remember her Mommy telling her he was going to pick her up. She didn't understand that.

"Where are we going?" she asked in her small voice.

Matt had brought her to his car, buckled her in the passenger's seat, and had started to drive.

"We're just going on a little trip, Amanda," he replied. "And call me 'Daddy.'"

Mandy wrinkled her nose in confusion. She'd been told to call her other daddy that - her real daddy. It was difficult for her to comprehend the sudden switch and now yet another.

"But you're not my Daddy."

Matt shot a dark look her way, his eyes wide, face full of anger.

The little girl cowered and cringed at what she saw in his face.

"Don't you ever say that to me, Amanda Dumas!" he snapped.

Mandy felt tears burning behind her eyelids. She felt her lower lip quivering as she dared to speak again.

"That's not even my name anymore!" she cried. "My last name is Copeland!" She let out a little sob, as, at nearly only seven years old, she could no longer hold back. She was scared of this man named Matt whom she and her mother had lived for most of her life.

Matt's face reddened in extreme anger at the child's words and crying alike. So, they'd had her name legally changed to that bastard's surname? It sickened him. He couldn't help but wonder... Had he and Amy gotten married, would they have had the girl's last name legally changed to Hardy? Probably not was his guess. Amy had never loved him. She'd never cared so much as one iota for him. All along, she'd only given a crap about that miserable sperm donor and _only_ him!

"Stop crying!" he ordered, casting another quick, angry glance at Mandy. The more he looked at her now, the more he saw the resemblance between her and Adam. It made him even more angry.

The little girl didn't seem capable of obeying his demand. Her sobs were growing harsh, wracking her little body, the tears streaming down her misery-filled little face in droves.

"I want my Mommy and Daddy!" she wailed.

The dark-haired man grew even more annoyed as her cries grew louder. She was beginning to hurt his ears, and it was pissing him off. He had half a mind to pull the car off to the shoulder of the highway and just leave her there on the side of the road.

"Stop it!" he growled, the heel of his right hand bashing the steering wheel. "Shut up... If you want to see them again, you will stop your crying _now_!"

The little girl was filled with terror as she eyed him with tearful orbs. Her vision was blurred by the tears. She was starting to develop those choking, uncontrollable sobs one would get when they were unable to calm down and were crying hysterically. In spite of her very young age, however, she swallowed and tried to stifle herself. The scariest thing in the whole wide world besides Matt was not ever seeing her Mommy and Daddy ever again.

--

"Mandy!" Adam called loudly as he ran through the arena hallway. He was getting frantic. He and Trish had checked other locker room, catering, and the restrooms with no luck. His daughter was gone - missing.

He dreaded the moment when Amy returned. She was going to have a fit! And in her condition, it would only be bad. And what was he thinking? This entire situation was bad! It was horrible!

"That's it... She's not in this arena," Adam told Trish, surprised himself at the eerie calmness of his voice. "I'm calling 911."

The little blonde's face was full of defeat as she eyed him and nodded. She felt so horrible and guilty.

They raced back to the blond man's locker room, where he instantly retrieved his cell phone and made the frantic call. He spent a few minutes explaining the situation and describing Mandy and their whereabouts before ending the call.

Adam looked down at the floor, thoughtful for long moments. The silence between himself and Trish was nearly maddening. And then, his heart leapt up into his throat as Amy suddenly returned, her knuckles rapping lightly on the open door.

"Hi, I'm back." She smiled, but the merriment swiftly faded away at the grave expressions on both her husband's and friend's faces. "Oh, God... What... What's wrong?"

Trish instantly burst into tears as she approached the other woman.

"Amy, I'm so sorry! This is all _my_ fault!" she cried, tears streaming down her face.

The redhead couldn't speak. Whatever had happened, it had everything to do with Mandy... That much, she knew. Dear God...

"Ames... I don't know how to tell you this," Adam said, anguish and terror in his green eyes. He glanced down for a beat, swallowing hard as he anticipated the absolute worst in her reaction. "Mandy is missing."

The redhead didn't even blink and merely stared at him, as though not comprehending.

"We searched all over," he continued when she didn't speak, "and we can't find her."

Finally, Amy blinked, still silent as she absorbed everything they'd said. Then, after a long moment, her hazel eyes widened, and she finally spoke.

"Oh, God... My baby?" She raised a hand to her mouth to quiet a sob. "My baby is gone?" Her head turned, eyes shifting around frantically, as though searching for the little girl. Then, as she turned back to focus her gaze on her husband's green eyes, she spoke again. "Matt... Matt took her - I _know_ it."


	69. Chapter 69

"What?" Adam exclaimed, his eyes almost wild as he stared at his wife. "You think _Matt_ took her?!"

Amy nodded weakly, reaching back behind her as she felt for a chair. Fortunately, she found one and sank down into the seat, her eyes closing as she tried to catch her breath. Everything suddenly seemed so hot - and the room was beginning to spin as she grew dizzy.

"That son of a bitch!" the tall blond man snarled. "If he _does_ have her, and if he does anything to hurt that little girl, I'll _kill_ him!"

Trish watched her friend with concern as Adam raged, and she hurried over to the redhead's side. Amy was fanning herself, her breathing becoming slightly erratic. The little blonde touched her arm gently.

"Adam, I think she's starting to hyperventilate!"

The Canadian sprang back to the reality right in front of him, alarm taking over as he too rushed to Amy's side.

"Ames, baby..." He raised a hand and touched her forehead, finding it clammy yet cool at the same time. She seemed on the verge of collapse, of fainting - just as she'd done a few months earlier. "... Baby, breathe!" He turned to Trish at his wife's other side. "Go find a paper bag in case she hyperventilates!"

The short blonde nodded and ran off.

Tears were suddenly streaming down Amy's cheeks as harsh, gasping sobs overtook her entire being. She felt as though she never cried so hard before. Mandy was gone... Her darling sweet, precious little girl... What was Matt going to do with her? He'd always loved her in the five years they'd been together. Surely, he wouldn't do anything to hurt the little angel - _would_ he? But she knew how much Matt had come to despise Adam and herself over the past few months. He'd probably taken their little girl as a way of getting back at them.

"M-Mandy!" the redhead cried. She looked her husband directly in the eye, her vision blurred by the next torrent of tears. "Adam, we have to get her back!"

"We _will_," he replied firmly, a strange calm coming over him as he spoke. "This I vow to you - we'll get her back." From his position, knelt before her, he placed a hand to her moist cheek, cupping it gently.

The redhead's hands went to her slightly protruding belly, as though seeking reassurance from the unborn child.

Adam's concerned green gaze followed the movements of Amy's hands. Dear God, what was this going to do to the baby?

Trish returned then, with Jay and a paper bag in tow. Immediately, she crossed the room to hand the bag to Adam.

"Mandy's missing?"

The tall blond man ignored his best friend for the moment to tend to his wife. He opened and positioned the bag appropriately, handing it to her.

"Here. Breathe into this, baby."

Amy obeyed, ignoring her still running tears as she held the open bag over her nose and mouth and tried her best to take a deep, even breath.

"What happened?" Jay asked, worry etched on his face.

"I told you, Jay! Mandy is missing!" Trish snapped. She didn't mean to take her anger and frustration out on her boyfriend, but damn it, she felt like shit. As far as she was concerned, this was all her fault. "I'm sorry," she apologized, looking up at him balefully with her brown eyes. "This is _my_ fault... It's _all_ my fault." The little blonde again began to cry.

"Trish... Don't blame yourself," Jay crooned, gathering his girlfriend into his arms. Tenderly, he stroked her long hair as she sobbed against his chest.

By now, Amy's breathing had somehow returned to normal. Now, she sat there with an almost eerie calmness. Adam flinched at the sudden, strange change in her demeanor.

Suddenly, they all looked up at the sound of someone new rushing into the room.

"Thank the gods you're all here," Jeff Hardy said. The young man was partly out of breath, and he held his cell phone in one hand. "I just got the strangest message from Matt..."

Adam shifted his gaze to Amy, then back to Jeff expectantly.

"... He said he won't be spending Christmas with me and Dad this year... but the weirder part was that there was the sound of a little kid crying in the background."


	70. Chapter 70

"So, the last time you saw your daughter was earlier this evening?"

"Late this afternoon," Adam corrected. "Between four-thirty and five o'clock." He raked his hand through his long blond hair and sighed uneasily as he watched the police officer jot down some notes. His gaze then swung over to Amy. The redhead was seated nearby, eerily silent, her arms wrapped around herself. Somehow, the Canadian knew that once the cop left, she would again go into hysterics. She'd been absolutely frantic a short while earlier. He feared that, by now, she was in shock and that couldn't be good for the baby.

"How are you so sure this Hardy took your daughter?" the officer asked. "You know how small children are - she could have just wandered off by herself."

"Mandy knows not to go off by herself."

They both looked sharply toward the redhead, her words containing an angry bite.

"It was just a suggestion," Officer Michael Warner said.

"My daughter doesn't do that," Amy reiterated. "She _knows_ better."

Adam nodded his agreement. Although he still had yet to know his daughter for even a year, he knew Mandy wouldn't wander off by herself. She knew she was supposed to only go places with an adult, preferably her mommy or daddy. And Trish had been watching her at the time of her disappearance, so if the blonde had told her to stay put, she would have obeyed.

"Hardy took her all right," he snapped, his hands reflexively clenching into fists. "And if you want to know why he would take her, well, simple... The guy's been bitter and vengeful ever since my wife and I got together. I don't want to bore you with our personal details, but in a nutshell, she left him for me, and ever since then, he's had a personal vendetta against us."

"And you think he kidnapped Mandy to get revenge?"

Adam refrained from showing the annoyance and impatience he felt toward the policeman. He knew this had to sound strange to an outsider.

"Yes, I _do_," he replied.

"That may not be the only reason," Amy spoke up, and the two men's gazes again shifted her way. "Matt basically raised her with me since she was a baby..." She swallowed hard, her heart breaking at the pained expression she read in her husband's eyes at her words. "... It's possible that his motivation is a combination of both."

The officer wrote down some more things, then nodded.

"All right, then," he said, "I know it's really pointless of me to say, but try not to worry. We'll get your little girl back to you."

Adam bit his tongue, again refraining from saying what he was thinking - that regardless of police efforts, he would do everything in his power to get Mandy back himself - including ending that bastard Hardy.

As soon as the officer was gone, silence reigned supreme as the couple were lost in their own thoughts. The tall blond man had the urge to smash something - or smash his fist through something. He held back, however, as he didn't want to upset his wife any more than she already was.

Amy's head was down, her eyes again filling with tears. It was well past Mandy's usual dinnertime, and she knew the little girl had to be miserable. She doubted that Matt would be treating her like a little princess. After all, he furious with her parents, so the pregnant redhead could easily see her ex taking it out on the little girl.

"She must be so hungry," she murmured. She felt the tears trickling their way down her cheeks, and tasted their hot saltiness as they reached the corners of her mouth. She sniffled. "My poor, poor baby."

"Ames... We're going to get her back," the tall blond man promised. He was amazed at how calm he was remaining. He went to her, lowering to sit beside her on the couch as he gathered her into his embrace.

The redhead clung to him as she sobbed softly.


	71. Chapter 71

Jeff felt numb as he sat in the Copelands' hotel room. Adam, Amy and Trish had all gone over the story, each in their own slightly varied version. Adam had explained how Amy had taken Mandy to Trish to watch her while he was busy preparing for his match and she needed to run out for something.

The redhead's story was identical except for the part about how she'd instantly suspected Matt had come to the arena to take the child. Trish obviously blamed herself as she recalled the story, complete with Stacy Keibler's ankle turning, and how she'd rushed out to help the tall blonde. She'd told Mandy to stay put in the locker room, but when she returned, the little girl was gone.

The young man's head spun with shock over the situation, plus the phone call he'd received from his brother later. In his heart of hearts, and no matter how badly he wished there was a logical explanation, he _knew_... He knew that Matt had indeed kidnapped the little girl.

"We have police out and searching for him," Adam told Jeff. "He might as well just give himself up." His gaze grew harder and sharper as he spoke the next words. "I know he's your brother, but like I said earlier, if he does _anything_ to hurt my daughter..."

The younger man put up his hands in a placating manner. He didn't have to hear the rest of what the Canadian was saying because he knew what those last words would be.

"Easy, man... He won't hurt her."

the tall blond man's green eyes glittered with fury. He cocked his head at Jeff.

"No? And you know this _how_?"

"He's my brother," came the response. "I know he's an asshole at times, but there's no way he'd hurt a child - especially Mandy."

Amy knew that Jeff was right, but she didn't speak a word.

"Yeah?" Adam challenged. "Well, let me ask you this - did you ever think your dear, beloved brother to be capable of kidnapping?"

Jeff looked embarrassed and even ashamed by the question. Ducking his head slightly, he swallowed hard as he answered the irate blond man.

"No."

"That's what I thought." Adam nearly growled as he turned his attention to his cell phone. He just about attacked it as he began pressing buttons.

"What are you doing?" Amy asked, her lovely face frantic with worry.

"I'm calling Jeff's asshole brother," the tall Canadian snapped. He hated the wince he saw cross his wife's face. Damn it, he hadn't meant to get snippy with her, of all people.

Amy and Trish quickly exchanged glances, and Jay, who was the fifth person present in the hotel room, shook his head.

"Do you really think that's wise, Adam?"

"Jay's right, Adam," the redhead said. "If anyone should talk to Matt, it should be me or Jeff." She reached a hand out toward him, her gaze traveling from her husband's eyes to the cell phone and back again. With those hazel eyes, she beseeched to him.

The tall blond man seemed to be deciding, uncertain as he looked into her beautiful but pale, worried face. His thumb was poised just over the call button. He so wanted to be the one to talk to Hardy and tell him off... threaten him. He knew Amy wouldn't do that if she were to be the one to make the call. She was being far more rational than he during this entire ordeal.

Sighing resignedly, he handed her the phone.

The redhead held her breath as she gratefully accepted the instrument, her hands shaking slightly as she fumbled with the cell phone and pressed the call button. Then, as everyone else eyed her in anticipation, she held the phone up to her ear and waited as it rang on the other end.

--

Matt's eyes widened in vast shock at the number on the display of his cell phone. It was that bastard Adam. Years of friendship had kept his memory fresh, as he knew the other man's cell number by heart in spite of deleting it from his own phone's memory. And on the other hand, maybe it _wasn't_ such a huge surprise that the Canadian would call him.

"What the hell do _you_ want?!" he barked, not bothering to say hello as he answered the call.

"Matt..."

The dark-haired man was taken aback by the voice - it was Amy, not Copeland.

"... Matt, listen," the redhead went on, "we know you have Mandy. Please give her back."

The elder Hardy brother let out a stern laugh.

"What the hell makes you think I have your daughter, Amy? Huh?" He laughed again. "Oh, _you_ don't have her, do you? Well, looks like that shows what kind of a responsible parent you are," he snapped. He glared over at Mandy, who was sitting on a nearby chair, as she began to wail again.

"Damn it, Matt!" Amy cried. "You had no right to-" She abruptly stopped speaking as she realized he'd hung up.

Tears were beginning to run down the redhead's cheeks as she moved the cell phone from her ear to stare blankly at the display.

"Ames?" Adam said gently. His heart was breaking at the expression on her face.

"He has her, all right," the pregnant woman said, her voice beginning to break. "I heard her crying in the background."


	72. Chapter 72

Amy laid there on the comfort of the queen-sized bed, desperately wishing. She wished she could fall asleep for several hours, wake up rested, and discover that the entire situation had been nothing but a horrible dream.

Of course, she knew better than that. It was no dream, but it was most definitely a living nightmare.

Her head spun with worry, her temples throbbing from the tension migraine she had. Never before had Mandy spent a night away from her, except when she'd stayed with her mother. But Christie Dumas didn't have her granddaughter right now - Matt Hardy did.

"I know it's unbelievable, Mom..." Adam was on the phone with his mother, Judy Copeland, as he'd just explained the horrid situation to her. They would not be going to Toronto for Christmas now... Matt had ruined Christmas for all of them. The selfish, sick bastard very well might have even ruined her life.

"... The police are searching," the tall blond man continued. "We know who has her." There was a brief pause, then Amy - who, by now, had one arm draped over her eyes - heard her husband speak again. "I know. We will, Mom... We will."

The redhead moved and rose from the bed before she had the chance to hear the Canadian end the conversation and phone call and hurried into the bathroom. She made a beeline for the toilet as she felt her stomach lurch, raised the seat and lid and retched.

It was horrible... The nausea was exceptionally violent, so much so that she suddenly began to fear for the baby inside of her. Her morning sickness had never been this bad.

"Amy?" Adam ducked into the bathroom, concern flooding through him at the sight of his pregnant wife so violently ill. "Oh, God... Ames." He stepped directly up to her, his hand gentle as it stroked her back.

Just as the redhead was through, the tears came yet again. Amy thought she must have shed enough of them to make a small lake in this single night alone. She thought constantly of poor little Mandy. Her daughter had to be so miserable. She wondered if Matt had even fed the little girl in the hours since he'd snatched her. Amanda tended to be afraid to go to sleep when Mommy wasn't near as well. She dreaded the mere idea that her baby would not be getting any sleep that night.

Damn Matt Hardy... Damn him to _hell_!

After thoroughly rinsing out her mouth with water and mouthwash, the redhead allowed her husband to lead her back to the main room. Her body was wracked by now harsh sobs. She missed Mandy terribly, and she feared Matt was mistreating her. In spite of what she'd said and thought earlier that night, she could definitely see her ex-boyfriend mistreating her daughter just to get some sick "revenge" on her and Adam. The thought broke her heart.

"Mandy!" she cried, her hands flying up to her forehead. She sobbed hard, curling herself into a fetal position on the bed.

Adam felt so unbelievably helpless as he gazed down sadly at the redhead. It was not at all a comfortable feeling. He wished there were something he could do. He wanted to find Hardy, track the asshole down and hurt him. He wanted to find Mandy, take her away from the bastard, put her somewhere safe and then beat the living crap out of Matt. He wanted to tear the jerk's head off, rip him to pieces and spit in his bloody face.

However, as it was, he had to get hold of himself. Now was definitely not the time to lose his temper. He had to comfort his wife.

"Amy... Ames," he said soothingly, crawling to her on the bed. He gathered her form in his arms and gently held her like that. "Listen to me... We're gonna find her. We _will_." He brushed some strands of her hair that had gotten damp from her tears off her face and kissed her. She seemed unresponsive except for the blinking of her eyes. Also, a moment later, her right hand grabbed at one of his.

"Shh... Go to sleep, baby," the blond man murmured. Amy had to be absolutely exhausted since the start of this nightmare.

They laid there for a good five to ten minutes, Adam cradling the redhead in his arms, until the sudden ringing of Amy's cell phone on the nightstand startled them both. Adam turned to eye the device with alarm, suspicion filling him as he rose reluctantly to retrieve it. A quick glance at the number displayed told him nothing - it was a local number.

Amy shot up from the bed and went to him, her teary eyes meeting his green but not reading much in them. Gratefully, she accepted her cell phone and answered the call, wondering who it could be.

"Hello?" she said, her voice coming in a slight croak, thanks to her crying.

"M-Mommy?" That single word was all the child could get out before the phone was hung up. She could detect small telltale sounds coming from the background, and then a click of the phone being hung up.

Amy was speechless as she simply gripped her now dead silent cell phone to her ear. Calmly, but her heart thundering like a drum in her chest, she slowly flipped the phone to a close, her eyes unblinking. Then, as the shock of it all came back full force, she suddenly blacked out.


	73. Chapter 73

Adam swallowed hard, somehow managing to stop the tears he could feel begging to fall. He couldn't recall when he'd felt more terrified in all his life. His precious little daughter was still missing, and Amy had collapsed. He'd nearly panicked as he'd called an ambulance.

The redhead had come to in the ambulance, as EMTs had attended to her. Thankfully, she'd been lucid and completely coherent, but just as they'd arrived at the hospital, she'd moaned and complained of pain. Even more frightening, she'd clutched her abdomen at the time.

The tall blond man was frantic with worry as he sat fidgeting in the waiting room. Because Amy was pregnant, they'd opted to check her into the hospital rather than just bringing her into the E.R.

Why did all this have to happen? Adam was plagued by that question. Hell, he didn't even know how it was that he was being very patient, or how he was even sitting down rather than pacing. However, he did feel incredibly hot - _too_ hot - and sick to his stomach. He hoped he wasn't on the verge of a panic attack. He needed to stay strong. Lord knew, the last thing they needed was for _him_ to need to be hospitalized as well.

"Mr. Copeland?"

He looked up sharply at the female doctor who'd spoken his name, leaping up instantly to meet her.

"I'm Dr. Roberts."

"How is my wife?" Adam asked, jumping right in and avoiding niceties. "Can I see her?"

"She's stable right now," the woman said, "and yes, you can see her. But first, I wanted to tell you what I've told her..."

The blond man fidgeted nervously, his temples throbbing. Damn it, he felt like he was going to throw up.

"Okay."

"She's suffering from extreme stress," Dr. Roberts explained. "And it could potentially cause her to lose the baby... She needs to take it easy over the next few months. I've ordered her some bed rest."

Adam's head was spinning as he reeled from the physician's words.

_'And it could potentially cause her to lose the baby_...'

"Oh, God," he breathed, his face feeling hotter still as he ran his hand through his long golden hair. "Well, you see, it might be difficult to avoid the stress," he began to explain. "You see, our six-year-old daughter is missing."

"Oh, my God," Roberts said, her face going ashen. Amy had not said a word of this to her, but it definitely explained the extent of stress the woman was under. "I'm so sorry. I hope you get her back."

"We will," Adam said firmly. He sincerely believed his own statement.

Roberts nodded.

"You wife is in room 342," she said. "Just down this corridor, make a left, and it's the second door."

"Thank you, doctor," the blond man said. He felt so glum as he turned to make his way to the woman. Damn it, she must be feeling so frightened right now. It was absolutely horrible - Mandy was missing, and now they might end up losing the baby Amy was carrying.

Adam swallowed hard as he came to the right room. He ducked inside, his gaze instantly falling on the redhead. She looked tiny, nearly engulfed in the hospital bed. Her face was pale, her head resting on the pillow and slightly turned away, toward the window on theother side of the room. But what really broke his heart were the wires and tubes, some hooked to her stomach. A fetal monitor was bleeping beside the bed. He supposed it was keeping track of the baby's heartbeat. Gently, he rapped on the door with his knuckles to alert the redhead.

"Hey."

Amy turned her head toward him, her hazel eyes looking so lost, lifeless, none of their usual fire present within. And damn it, Adam could detect twin tears shining in them.

"Adam... Adam, the doctor said I could lose the baby!" One of the tears slipped free, sliding its way down her cheek.

He went to her in an instant, up to the bed, where he gathered her in his arms, his head resting on her chest as he bent over more to her level. He took care not to lean on any of the wires.

Adam let out a weary sigh. His heart was breaking. Things couldn't be any more bleak. Well, they could, but the tall blond man didn't want to think about that. And again, he nearly lost control over the tears he'd felt building up inside him as he felt Amy's hand suddenly in his hair, tenderly stroking it.

Long moments of silence reigned as the couple were lost in their horrible, frightening thoughts. Christmas was almost upon them, and yet, it seemed there was suddenly nothing to celebrate.


	74. Chapter 74

Matt's expression, his eyes, were furious as he glared down at the child. Oh, Mandy was a crafty little one, all right. Still, he couldn't believe it. He never would have guessed in a million years that the little brat would've called Amy. And from the hotel phone, no less, while he'd been in the bathroom! The little imp was going to make him pay through the nose with a damn expensive hotel bill! And that was to say nothing of the possibility of the call being traced.

He'd wrenched the phone from her tiny hands, pacing himself as he'd hung up. But he couldn't believe how angry he was, and with such a tiny person.

"I _told_ you not to touch anything, Amanda!" he yelled, his face reddening. He didn't care that the child was basically cowering from him. She'd disobeyed him, and that was the only thing he could focus on right now. "Shame on you - you're a _bad_ girl!"

"I only called my Mommy," Mandy said, her eyes again promptly filling with tears. She was scared of this man now - he wasn't nice and loving like her real daddy. She wished her real daddy were right here with her so he could save her and take her away from him.

"Who gave you permission to do that?!" Matt demanded, gesturing with his hands. "You _don't_ do things when I tell you not to do them! Do you want me to punish you?"

Tears rolled down the little girl's cheeks. He was so _mean_ to her!

"I want my Daddy!" she wailed.

The elder Hardy's eyes widened. He couldn't believe how feisty and defiant this kid was - but then, he knew she took after her bitch mother.

"Shut up!"

Mandy couldn't stop crying. She knew she was in bad trouble and that she should have listened to Aunt Trish... She should never have gone off, not even with this man named Matt whom she'd once thought was her daddy. The only people she should ever go anywhere with were Mommy, Daddy - her _real_ Daddy, or people her parents told her to listen to and stay with. Her mom had not said anything to her about Matt picking her up or anything. She did something dumb. It made her cry even harder thinking that her Mommy and Daddy were probably mad at her right now.

"I said _shut up_!" Matt shouted, this time actually raising his hand to the little girl. He stopped himself as she cowered away from him, almost curling into herself. He wouldn't hit her, at least not like _that_, but damn it, she was pissing him off! "Do you want me to tie you to the chair?"

Amanda shook her head furiously, gulping gasping breaths as she kept crying. She'd never been so scared in her whole life.

Suddenly, the ringing of his cell phone startled Matt yet again. Annoyed, he looked toward the device, assuming Amy was calling him yet again. Or maybe it was that bastard Adam.

Moving over toward his cell phone, the dark-haired man put a finger to his lips as he eyed the child, shushing her. She couldn't seem to stop crying, and she wasn't being quiet about it, either.

Hell... He grabbed the phone, not answering just yet as he then grabbed Mandy by the arm. As she continued to cry her little heart out, he dragged her to the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Only then did he answer the call. He didn't even bother taking notice of the number on the display.

"Hello?"

There was a beat of silence, and then a voice spoke.

"Matt... What the hell are you thinking, man?"

It was his younger brother. Damn it, he _knew_ he shouldn't have called Jeff. His brother might have been weird, but he was definitely not stupid.

"Jeff..." Matt said with aggravation. He rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as he went on. "... What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Matt - you know what I'm talking about!" the younger man cried, incredulous. "Everyone knows you kidnapped Mandy - _everyone_! Me, Adam and Amy, Trish and Jay... Even the _police_."

The elder brother's brows rose as that last word.

"Give her back, man... Give up while you're ahead."

Matt pressed his lips tightly together. His younger brother had long been a burden on his back, and now was certainly no exception. It was one of those times when he wished he were an only child.

"Suggestion, Jeff - fuck off!" he shouted. Then, not bothering to wait for his sibling to respond, he hung up.


	75. Chapter 75

_Three Days Later, Christmas Eve_

Amy sat up in bed, her head propped up by an array of soft pillows. A bleakness the likes of which she'd never known gripped her in its iron clutches, and she felt completely and utterly helpless and useless.

All she could do was lay in bed. And as a very active, vital person - an athlete - that just about drove her insane. She got up only to eat or use the bathroom, or to do small chores around the house. At times, when Adam caught her doing something, he would usher her back to bed and do it himself. She couldn't even help in the search for her daughter. It was horrible.

Christmas Eve was finally here, and neither she nor Adam were in a festive or celebratory mood. How _could_ they be, when Mandy was still out there somewhere with Matt? Damn it, the little girl should be here - home with her family, playing with their dogs or her Barbie dolls or helping her to bake a cake, or beating her father in videogames. It just wasn't fair. She cursed Matt a thousand times over for taking her from everyone who loved her, from everything _she_ loved.

And what about the baby she was carrying? She glanced down at herself in her nightgown, at her ever-growing belly, and gently placed a hand there. She could feel the baby moving around inside of her. He or she was a restless one - just like Mandy had been.

The redhead laid back again, closing her eyes. All she wanted was to fall back asleep so she wouldn't have to think about everything. No... Correction - all she wanted was her little girl back, safe and sound just in time for the holidays - and for everything to be normal and fine with the baby in her womb. She felt tears of hopelessness and frustration building under her eyelids.

Amy was suddenly jolted by the sound of the telephone ringing - this time, rather than a cell phone, it was the regular one jangling on the nightstand beside her.

Maybe it was the police...

... The redhead sat up more and reached for the receiver, tension still gripping her as she spoke.

"Hello?"

There was a beat of silence before the person responded.

"Amy... Merry Christmas Eve."

Her entire body froze. It was Matt. Once again, he was being awfully nervy.

"Matt... Where's Mandy?" she demanded. She could feel the quickening of her heart and pulse.

"Not gonna wish me happy holidays back?" he asked, feigning hurt. "That's not very nice."

Amy was gripping the receiver so tightly, her knuckles were white. Why was he doing this? Why did he have to take things so far to get "revenge" for his broken heart?

"I want my daughter!" she cried. She was through with trying to reason with him. He'd already had Mandy five days, so there was no point in it.

Hardy laughed on the other end.

"Now, Amy..." he said, his tone teasing, as though he were chastising a disobedient child. "... You know better than that. You can't always get what you want."

Tears began to stream down the redhead's face. As she spoke again, she hoped Matt wouldn't be able to tell she was crying.

"You son of a bitch... I _hate_ you!"

There was laughter on the other end. Apparently, he found her hatred amusing.

"Have a merry Christmas, bitch!"

Amy realized she heard a click, and then the dial tone sound followed. Wanting to slam the phone down in frustration, she openly sobbed as she replaced the receiver on its cradle gently instead.

"Amy? Honey?"

Adam was home, and the sound of his voice only made her cry harder.

The blond man's face was flooded with concern as he appeared in the bedroom doorway. Instantly, he rushed to her side, ignoring the greeting Princess and Creampuff were trying to give him.

"Amy?" He sat on the bed, wrapping his arms around her for comfort.

"He called, Adam," she whimpered. "Matt called - just now. He mocked me."

"God damn it," Adam replied between clenched teeth. He held his wife tenderly as she continued to cry.


	76. Chapter 76

_Christmas Day_

Matt rolled his eyes with impatience as Mandy cried for what seemed to be the zillionth time. He was tired of her crying and whining.

The little girl had been a handful since he'd first taken her, but the last couple of days had been a sheer nuisance. Mandy had complained of a "tummyache" and kept calling her for "Mommy and Daddy." And now, at this point, she wouldn't eat anything he gave her. Then, the final straw had been when she had gotten sick all over the floor in the hotel room.

Matt had finally had enough. He'd been pushed well beyond his limit, and he wasn't going to take anymore. It just didn't seem worth it anymore. He could probably do something else to make them pay, anyway.

As it was, the dark-haired man was giving himself a Christmas present - he was getting rid of the crying, whining little brat as soon as possible.

For once, as they made their way into the medium-sized mall, the child had stopped crying. He couldn't help but think, _Thank goodness for small favors_. He'd truly had enough and wondered how he'd ever put up with this kid for five long years when he'd been in a relationship with her mother. It was an absolute miracle he'd held onto his sanity!

Matt felt relief flooding through him as he studied the store directory. There was a _Toys 'R Us_ on the second level. Good... Without a word to Mandy, he grabbed hold of her hand, firmly enough to cause the little girl to wince, and tugged her along to the nearby up escalator.

"I wanna go home!" she said in a small, plaintive voice just as they stepped off onto the second level. She was nearly on the verge of tears again, and she really didn't feel good. She wished her Mommy were here - she would know what to do to make her feel better.

"Shh," Matt hushed her as he ushered her into _Toys 'R Us_. And to his surprise, Amanda seemed to momentarily forget her sorrow and discomfort as she ran off to the nearest toy of interest.

The elder Hardy glanced around, trying his best not to appear conspicuous. He could just walk off right now, and neither Mandy nor anyone else would be any the wiser. If he had to be around the child much longer, he really _would_ lose his mind.

The little girl seemed suddenly immersed in toys, her face appearing happier than he'd seen it in five days. She was probably expecting him to buy her something, and just in time for Christmas. Well, let her think that - just because that bastard Copeland spoiled her didn't mean _he_ would, too.

"You stay here," he said firmly to her, bending over to her level. "Don't you move from this spot.

Mandy blinked as she looked directly into his dark, mean eyes. She didn't even dare to reply verbally. This man scared her. Where were her Mommy, and her _real_ Daddy?

Matt backed away slowly, his eyes still on the child until he turned fully around. Glancing at the few parents and other adults around, as well as the cashiers he noticed working nearby, he started casually for the exit.

--

Mandy swallowed hard, nervous as she finally moved from the spot upon which she'd stood - and from where Matt had told her to stay. She didn't know how long it had been since he'd told her to stay put, but it felt like a really long time. She sniffled and wiped at her nose with the back of her hand as she walked down another aisle.

There were other children all around her. Some were really small, others older than her, but the one thing they all seemed to have in common was that they weren't alone - they were with a parent, or parents, or some other grownup. She wondered where Matt went.

"Hi!"

A little boy, with blond hair like hers - with blue eyes, who looked to be her age, smiled at her. He was holding a packaged toy in his hands.

Normally shy around adults but not as much with other children, Mandy smiled.

"Hi."

"My name's Tommy," the boy said. "What's yours?"

"Mandy," she replied. She gestured to the package he held. "What is that?"

"A Christmas present for my cousin Sarah," Tommy answered. "She loves wrestling." The little boy turned the package around to show his new friend the WWE action figure inside...

... It was a figure of Lita... Her Mommy.


	77. Chapter 77

Mandy continued talking with Tommy as his mother paid for the toys they were getting as gifts. She all but forgot about that mean Matt and how sick she'd been feeling as she had fun with her new friend.

"Lita is really your Mom?" the little boy asked, his face filled with as much awe as was present in his face. "No way!"

"Yeah!" Mandy exclaimed. "But I don't call her that. She's my Mommy and she's having a baby."

Tommy's eyes widened.

"Cool."

The boy's mother was finished making her purchases by now. She turned back toward the children and smiled.

"All right, Tommy - time to go." She reached for her son's hand. "Say goodbye."

"Bye," he said to the little girl, his face a bit sad.

"Sweetheart, I think you should go back to your Mommy and Daddy now," the woman told Mandy. "You don't want to get lost." She smiled. "Have a merry Christmas."

"Bye," Tommy said again, waving as his mother led him to the exit.

Mandy felt dejected as she watched them leave. She thought about what Tommy's mom had just said to her and thought about how very much she wanted to do just that - go back to her Mommy and Daddy. But she didn't know where they were. Matt had taken her away from them, away from Auntie Trish. She didn't know where she was now. She turned around and around in a small circle as she looked at the surroundings.

"Little girl!"

She turned around once more to see a young woman behind the cash register coming out and over to her. It was a pretty lady with brown hair and dark eyes. She walked right over to her and knelt before her.

"Are you lost?" the woman asked.

Mandy looked into the girl's face, and she was about to go speechless with that typical shyness she always felt with grownups who were strangers. But instead, she nodded.

"What's your name?"

"Mandy," she said softly. She shuffled her feet a little.

"Mandy... That's a pretty name." Then, "Where is your Mommy, Mandy?"

The child shrugged.

"Didn't she bring you in here?"

Amanda shook her head.

"No." She looked down at the floor, suddenly remembering that she didn't feel too good.

"Then your Daddy must have come here with you," the woman said. She smiled warmly. "My name is Denise. Don't worry, we'll find your Daddy."

Mandy merely eyed her, and although she wanted to tell Denise that her Daddy hadn't brought her here, either, she kept silent.

"Come with me," the girl said, straightening up and reaching her hand down for the child to take it.

Mandy knew she was not supposed to go anywhere with strangers, but this lady was nice. And besides, she worked here, at _Toys 'R Us_. She made up her mind and put her tiny hand into the woman's.

Denise began to lead the child up and down the various aisles of the big store. The way she figured it, Mandy's parent had to be nearby. If they didn't see him, she would then call her supervisor and explain the situation. She only hoped this was not a case of child abandonment. That sickened her.

Mandy was quiet until they reached one particular aisle with specific toys. As they were making their way into it, the little girl suddenly grew animated and released her hand to run up to some action figures.

Denise heard her exclaim something with excitement, but she wasn't sure she heard her right. She caught up to the girl and smiled.

"Whatcha got there, Mandy?"

Mandy looked up, her eyes large. She held up the package she clutched in her small hands.

"This is my Daddy!"

Denise frowned as she looked upon an action figure of WWE wrestler Edge.

--

"Hello?"

"Hello," an unfamiliar female voice spoke on the other end. "Is this Adam Copeland?"

"Yes," the blond man said with confusion. He hoped this was not some crazed fan who had just called. He wondered how she'd gotten his number.

"This is going to sound crazy, and I apologize in advance - but there's a little girl here who says that you're her father..."

The blond man's entire body stiffened. Could it be?

"Oh, my God," he said. "Where is she?"

"Right here, actually," the woman answered.

"Would you put her on the phone? Please," he said.

"Sure."

Adam heard muffled sounds of the woman speaking to someone and then, the tiny, timid, uncertain voice.

"Daddy?"

His heart nearly stopped.

"Mandy?! Is that you, sweetheart?"

"Daddy!" He could hear the little girl bursting into tears.

"Oh, God! Mandy... Baby..." He had so many questions he wanted to ask her, so many things he wanted to say - but then, he realized he'd better get the woman who'd called him back on the line. "Mandy... Who is the lady who called me?"

"Denise," she replied. "In _Toys 'R Us_."

"Put Denise back on, honey. I have to talk to her. It's very important."

"Okay." He waited for a beat until the woman's voice returned to him.

"Is she really your daughter?" she questioned.

"Yes - that's my little blondie. where is she? I'll come and get her... I don't care if your store is on Mars - I'll still come get her."


	78. Chapter 78

Adam's stomach was actually tied up in knots as he drove out there to that mall. He didn't quite understand why he was nervous when such a wonderful thing had happened - and was about to happen.

He parked in the parking lot, not caring about the cost to do so, even though he wouldn't be here even an hour. Only one thought was in his head at the moment - getting to Mandy and getting her back... Taking her home, and just in time for Christmas.

The tall blond man raced for the _Toys 'R Us_, his anticipation increasing as he neared the store. His little girl was inside.

It was near closing time. He noted the time on the sign and disregarded it as he entered the store. It seemed strangely deserted in spite of the fact that the lights were on and it wasn't closed.

"Hello?" he called, glancing all around as he began down an aisle. He sincerely hoped this hadn't been a case of someone playing a horrible trick on him.

"Mr. Copeland?" a woman's voice called from his left. He looked up to see a pretty young woman heading toward him. She was a tall brunette, and her face seemed concerned yet curious.

"Yes..."

"I'm Denise - I called you earlier about Mandy? I'm the Assistant Manager here."

"Nice to meet you... And please - call me Adam," he said, briskly shaking her hand.

"All right," she said with a small smile. "Please, come with me. Mandy is in the back," she explained.

The Canadian followed Denise through the store, all the way back through a private '_Employees Only_' area, and finally to a meagerly-sized office. His eyes instantly fell on his small daughter, who was sitting at a big desk and immersed in something. As he drew nearer still, he saw that she was coloring in a coloring book. Also, there was another young woman there near her, talking softly to the child, as though offering comfort.

Just then, Mandy looked up as she realized they were no longer alone, and her eyes widened in surprise and delight as she saw him.

"Daddy!" She sprang up and ran right over to him as the tall blond man knelt with open arms.

"Baby!" he said, his joy at that moment so great, it was indescribable. "Mandy... God, I've got you back!" Adam stroked the child's soft long hair as he felt himself getting choked up. "Are you all right, kiddo?"

The girl nodded as she kept herself in his embrace.

"I... I don't feel so good."

Adam held his daughter back and looked into her face with concern for a beat. Then, shifting his gaze back to Denise, he smiled slightly and gave a nod.

"I can't thank you enough."

"Don't mention it," she said. "There's no need to thank me."

The Canadian eyed Mandy again, his green gaze filled with concern.

"You don't feel well?" he asked. "What's the matter, sweetheart?" Tenderly, he placed his hands on her tiny face, alarmed to find it warm to the touch. She definitely had a fever.

"My tummy."

"Oh, God," Adam said. "And you feel warm... You poor thing." He kissed her forehead and felt his daughter's hands in his long hair. "We're gonna go home to your Mommy, and you'll feel better."

Mandy looked into her father's handsome face. Even though she was sick, she'd never felt so happy to see someone.

"I love you, Daddy," she said.

Adam swallowed the lump that had quickly formed in his throat.

"I love you, too, kiddo." He hugged her again. He decided he would ask her about Matt and the few days she'd been with him later on. Again, he turned to Denise as well as the other girl, with whom the child had been coloring.

"Thank you again... so much." He straightened and reached for his wallet. "Please accept this."

The young woman looked down to see the hundred dollar bill he was offering her. Surprised, she shook her head.

"Oh, no, I couldn't."

"I insist," Adam pressed. "If it weren't for you, I might not have gotten my daughter back. Please." He literally put the bill into the woman's hand and smiled. "Merry Christmas."

Denise started to shake her head again, disbelieve gripping her. This man did not have to give her a reward. However, she knew he wasn't going to let her not accept it.

"I... Thank you," she said.

"Merry Christmas." The tall blond wrestler was smiling, one hand now gripping the tiny right one of his little girl.

"Goodbye, Mandy... Feel better. Have a Merry Christmas! You're back with your dad!"

The child smiled in spite of being sick.

"Merry Christmas."

"Well, let me walk you two out," Denise said, and Mandy waved at the other young woman as her father smiled and gave a nod. The girl waved goodbye, and they followed the Assistant Manager of the _Toys 'R Us_ out.

Once in the parking lot, Adam noticed how heavy Mandy's lids seemed to be getting. He was worried. He knew she had a fever, and damn it, he wanted to get her home as soon as possible.

"Come on, Blondie," he quipped, and he stooped over to lift her slight weight up into his arms. He carried his daughter to the car, her head resting against his shoulder. As soon as he got her inside, he had her buckled into the passenger's seat in no time, and they were off, heading for home.

It wasn't too long before Mandy fell fast asleep.


	79. Chapter 79

Amy sat upright in the bed the moment she heard the front door open and then close. Her heart was thundering like mad as she pricked her ears, hoping to catch sounds other than Creampuff and Princess' barking.

And then, as though she were dreaming, her husband suddenly appeared in the bedroom doorway - and in his arms, he held a soundly sleeping Mandy.

She started to rise from the bed, bursting into tears as she outstretched her arms. She couldn't believe it... It really _was_ her - their little girl was back, safe and sound, and home.

The blond man put out his hand, stopping her. He shook his head, hushing her as well.

"There will be plenty of time for that," he protested. "She's sick, Ames. You can't afford to catch anything."

The redhead blinked as the tears streamed down her cheeks. Her baby was sick?

"Oh, God... What's wrong with her?" she asked, frantic.

"I'm not sure... Probably a stomach virus," Adam replied. "She has a fever, and she told me she threw up last night."

"Oh, no." Damn Matt to hell! He'd taken Mandy, and she'd gotten sick when she'd been with him. She hoped it wasn't the flu.

"I'm going to put her to bed," the tall blond man whispered. "Please, Ames... Stay here in bed."

Reluctantly, the redhead settled back and nodded.

Satisfied, Adam backed out of the doorway, carrying his daughter to her own room. She was out like a light and had been that way since about thirty minutes earlier, when he'd been driving home.

Gently, he lowered the child onto her bed and began to undress her. Without waking her, he dressed her in a pair of warm pajamas, then tucked her under the blanket. Worry swept through him as he touched her forehead again. It was still warm - no warmer than it had been earlier, but the poor kid definitely still had a fever. Sighing, the blond man grabbed Mandy's favorite stuffed dog from the pillow and tucket it into the side of her right shoulder. Afterward, he gazed down at the child for a moment before kissing her on the forehead, then slowly and silently left the room.

Adam closed the door halfway as he stepped back into the hallway. He decided if she weren't at least somewhat better tomorrow, he would take her to the doctor.

He returned to the master bedroom, where his wife was still laying in the bed, tears still on her face. Amy looked pensive to the point that she didn't even seem to realize he had come back.

"Baby?"

She turned to meet his green eyes, reaching up for him as he sat on the edge of the bed. He wrapped his arms around her, and she sobbed against him.

"She's back home," she murmured. "Oh, thank God!"

"Yes, she is," he said softly, pressing his face into her long red hair. "And if she's still sick tomorrow, I'll take her to the doctor." His features hardened, and he was glad that for the moment, Amy couldn't see his face. Visions of Matt Hardy flitted through his head, and he wanted to kill the bastard.

He couldn't believe what had happened. Apparently, Hardy had taken Mandy to that _Toys 'R Us_, and he'd just abandoned her there. If it weren't for that young woman, Denise, who worked there, he couldn't imagine what might have happened to her. He didn't _want_ to imagine what could have happened.

As though perfectly reading her husband's mind, Amy pulled back enough to gaze into his face and question him.

"What happened? Did she wander off and get away from him, or did something else happen?"

Adam swallowed hard and raked one hand through his long blond hair. If he told her the truth, how would she take it? He didn't want her more upset than she'd already been these past few days. The stress had put a strain on the baby, and he would be damned if she were to... He couldn't even finish that thought.

"She was in a _Toys 'R Us_," he said evenly. "Alone. The Assistant Manager called me to come get her when she knew for sure that I was her father."

"I know that, Adam," the diva said. "But why was she even there? Please tell me - I have to know." She raised one hand, placing it on his cheek, her fingers caressing the stubbled skin. "I won't freak out, I promise." She knew he was worrying about how she would react.

"She..." Adam sighed and went on. "... Matt walked out. He took her into the store and just left her there. Mandy said she was with a little boy for awhile, and then they were about to close when the Assitant Manager found her."

The redhead's heart felt as though it had frozen over in her chest. She couldn't believe Matt would actually do such a horrible thing. Mandy could have been picked up by a child predator! She felt so immeasurably grateful toward the woman who had found the little girl and called Adam. She couldn't even speak. Instead, she settled back against her husband, allowing him to cradle her in his strong arms.

She had never felt more scared to death in her life... But Mandy was back home, safe and sound except for being sick. However, one thing was absolutely certain...

... Matt had to _pay_ for his actions.


	80. Chapter 80

_Day After Christmas_

Adam's gaze fell on his beautiful but sick little girl as he led her by the hand up the drive and to the house. They had just gotten back from a quick trip to the doctor. Much to the blond man's relief, Mandy would be okay.

The dogs jumped up excitedly as they entered the house, but Mandy surprisingly didn't pay them much attention as she usually did. Instead, she ran down the hallway through the living room and to her parents' bedroom - directly to Amy.

The redhead was in bed, propped up by an array of pillows and in a pretty nightgown. She opened her arms to her daughter, and the child went straight to her.

Adam stepped into the doorway just in time to see Mandy climb into the bed, her little head resting on her mother's slightly protruding belly as she clung to her. Amy looked up, meeting his gaze with worry as she smoothed some strands of the girl's fine blonde hair.

"She'll be all right," he said calmly. "She has a stomach virus."

In spite of her daughter's condition not being grave, the redhead's hazel eyes filled with tears. Damn that Matt Hardy to hell and back! Mandy had gotten sick while she'd been with him, and she highly doubted the circumstances would have been the same if he'd never taken the girl.

Amy glanced down at her little angel, surprised to see that Mandy had actually fallen fast asleep. Her hand was gentle as she stroked the soft skin of her cheek.

"She still has a fever," she said softly, dismayed to note the child's face was still quite warm to the touch.

Adam nodded as he entered the room further and sat on the edge of the bed. He removed his shoes, then swung his long legs up and stretched out beside his wife and daughter.

"The doctor wants her to stay in bed and eat stuff like soup, eggs and toast until her fever breaks." He gazed down at Mandy and caressed her soft cheek as well. "She has to drink lots of water, too. And I got some Gatorade, too. Can't take any chances of dehydration."

The redhead sobbed, her shoulders sagging and shaking.

"Hey, it's okay," the Canadian said, reaching out for her. He held her in his arms as she continued to cry, his hands in her long red hair. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "She'll be all right, baby."

"I know..." Amy moaned, pulling out of his embrace to stare tragically up into his kind, concerned green eyes. "... It's not that, Adam... I..." She shook her head, hazel eyes filling with another torrent of tears. "... I feel like about the worst mother in the world! I mean... I can't even protect my daughter - and then she gets kidnapped and sick!" She shook her head, not allowing her husband to cut in as he opened his mouth to protest. "For God's sake, I can't even keep the baby I'm carrying safe! Who knows if this baby will even be... _normal_." She bowed her head and sobbed harder.

Adam felt his heart breaking in several different pieces. Reaching for her again, he pulled the distraught woman back into his embrace.

"Shh... Stop," he commanded gently. "You're the most awesome mother I know next to my own. The two of you are tied in that department." He smiled slightly and kissed her tear-stained face, then tipped her head up so that she met his gaze. "I love you," he whispered. "And I don't ever want to hear you put yourself down like that again. Understand?"

The redhead kept her eyes fixed on his, astonished that he could be so calm, so loving when she had expressed such self-loathing. She nodded.

"Good," the tall blond man said. He kissed her tenderly on the lips, and her breath was lost by the burst of love and affection. Then, pulling back enough to speak, "And the baby will be just fine."

She blinked, wishing she could feel as optimistic as he did. She remained silent and thoughtful and allowed him to hold her in his strong, secure arms for several moments. Then, he finally shifted, thoughtful before he spoke again.

Adam gazed down at the sleeping Mandy. She seemed peaceful and cozy, still curled up between them, her head still resting on Amy's belly.

"Let's get her into her own bed," the Canadian said. Gently, he shifted his weight off the bed and then picked the child up, relieved when she didn't awaken.

Amy watched with her heart in her eyes as he carried their small daughter out of the room.

--

Matt awakened to the sounds of footsteps outside his bedroom door, as well as the voices of his brother and at least two other men whom he didn't know.

"I swear," he heard Jeff said, "I am _not_ protecting Matt. He hasn't been here since six days ago."

_Shit_! The dark-haired man was suddenly instantly awake as he realized what must be happening...

... The authorities were here for him.

He bolted up out of bed and scrambled for the pants he'd worn yesterday. They lay discarded in a small heap on the floor before the bed, exactly where he'd left them the night before.

He felt his pulse pounding in his ears as he heard one of the police officers mention that they had a search warrant. That was followed by Jeff complying and saying they could search the entire house if they wanted - and then, the door was suddenly opened, just as Matt was heading for the window to escape.

"Matt! When did you get in?" Jeff asked, very real surprise in his voice and on his face.

"Mr. Hardy," one of the officers began as the other approached him with a set of handcuffs. "Just the man we were looking for. You're under arrest for the kidnapping of Amanda Copeland. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney..."

The policeman's voice was drowned out by the eerie silence of his brother - and even worse was the unmasked shame and contempt on Jeff's face as he stared at him.


	81. Chapter 81

Adam gazed softly down at his daughter as she slowly ate some of the chicken soup he'd made for her. A serenity he hadn't felt in days, even months, seemed to come over him as he sat there on the chair he'd pulled up to her bedside - it was nice, as though a huge, momentous weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Mandy had slept for a good portion of the morning and early afternoon, and fortunately, her fever had dropped from 102 to just over ninety-nine. The blond man had been relieved as he'd checked the thermometer he'd had her keep under her tongue. He was still so new to this fatherhood thing, but the truth was, he'd been close to panicking when the girl's fever had been higher. And he'd absolutely refused to tell Amy anything about it out of fear he'd stress her out more than she was already stressed.

"Good soup?" he asked, a small smile touching his lips as his daughter scooped a hearty spoonful into her mouth. The bowl was resting on a tray, which was on her lap as her head was propped up by several pillows. She definitely seemed to be feeling a lot better.

Mandy nodded.

"I feel hot, Daddy." She pressed her tiny left hand to her forehead, brushing away a few stray strands of sweaty blonde hair.

"Well, you've had a fever, Blondie. It's good you feel hot."

The child seemed to forget about her soup as she turned her head to meet his eyes.

"Why?" she asked innocently.

Adam ran one large hand over her warm cheek.

"Because it means you're getting better," he told her. He winked, then gestured toward her tray. "Are you finished?"

Mandy ducked her head slightly, as though scared to answer the question. Her father was puzzled until she spoke again.

"Mommy wouldn't like to me leave anything over."

"Well, your Mommy isn't here right now," the tall blond man whispered playfully. Then, growing more serious, he went on, "And you're sick, honey - she would understand."

The little girl nodded.

Adam understood she was finally answering his question and stood up, taking the tray as he headed for the hallway.

Daddy?"

Mandy's small voice stopped him at the doorway.

"What, Blondie?"

"Would you read me a story?"

The Canadian smiled.

"Sure, kiddo... I'll be right back. If you're up for it, we can even play MarioKart." He winked at his daughter, and she laughed a little.

Adam felt his heartstrings tugging, a smile still present on his face as he strode down the hallway to the kitchen. Creampuff was right at his heels, the tiny Pomeranian his constant shadow as he placed the tray on the table, then carried the dishes to the sink. He began to wash the plate, bowl and spoon in succession when the phone suddenly rang, startling him from the task.

Quickly shaking his hands free of droplets of water, the tall blond man made his way to the wall phone several feet to his right and answered. He hoped the ringing hadn't disturbed Amy, as he knew his wife had fallen asleep less than an hour earlier in their bedroom.

"Hello?"

"Hello - Mr. Copeland?"

Adam squinted in confusion at the unfamiliar male voice.

"Yes?"

"Michael Warner here," the man said, and the blond man was still having trouble placing the voice and the name until the man continued. "I wanted to let you know, my partner and I have made an arrest concerning your daughter's kidnapping."

The Canadian was speechless... His breath was nearly lost as his mouth suddenly ran dry at the police officer's words. They made an arrest?

"Really, you have?" he asked, not knowing what else to say. His heart was suddenly pounding incredibly fast.

"Just this morning, in fact," Warner elaborated. "We got a warrant, trekked out to Cameron, North Carolina and questioned Hardy's brother... He hadn't seen him in nearly a week. At first, we thought he was trying to protect the brother, but he seemed genuinely surprised to see him."

"He... He was _there_?"

"Yes, he most certainly was," the officer replied. "Apparently, he returned home sometime during the night and didn't alert his brother of it. We caught him trying to sneak out his bedroom window. We got him."

"Wow..." Adam was shocked for some reason, as though he hadn't thought the police would really do anything. "... That's good news."

"You and your wife will have to come and identify Mr. Hardy."

The Canadian swallowed hard. He couldn't have Amy do any such thing, as it would be far too stressful for her. He hoped just himself would be sufficient for the police.

"Officer... That wouldn't be a good idea - for my wife to identify him, that is. She's pregnant, and she's been under a tremendous amount of stress," he explained. "So much so that her doctor has ordered her to stay in bed. So, I hope it would be enough to just have _me_ do it."

"All right, Mr. Copeland - that would be fine."

"Great... When and where do you want me?" the blond man asked as he sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. He listened intently as the policeman began to answer.

The conversation soon came to a close, and Adam thanked the man again before they concluded, and he hung up. He stood there for a beat, thoughtful, his hand still lingering on the phone's receiver. Then, he left the kitchen to return down the hall. He poked his head into the doorway of Mandy's room first, noting the little girl had again fallen asleep since he'd left her. He decided he would read to her or play that game with her later, once she awoke again.

The blond man turned and entered his own bedroom, glad to note that the beautiful redhead in the bed was now awake. He stood just beyond the doorway, his head cocked as he gazed down at her with his heart in his eyes as she stretched sleepily. She was turned in the opposite direction from him, and apparently, she hadn't heard him come in. As it was, she surprised him.

"Hey, baby." Amy suddenly turned around to face him, a small smile on her lovely face. "I knew you were there," she said huskily.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty." Adam approached the bed, his heart swelling with love as he drank in her pretty visage. He felt somewhat torn with emotion, though, as he wondered how she would take the news he had for her. He sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling his long legs up as he wrapped his arms around her. He kissed the redhead on the temple, then nuzzled her tenderly as he spoke again. "Ames, there's something I have to tell you."

She reached up with her right hand to caress his arm, then slid it up to his stubbled face.

"You sound serious," she said softly. "What's going on? Is it Mandy?" A hint of fear entered her voice.

"No... No, she's fine - I gave her some soup, and now she's sleeping again," he replied. "Actually, it's about Matt."

This time, the redhead pulled gently out of his loving grasp as she stared up into his face with anticipation and worry. She opted not to say a word and instead waited for her husband to continue.

"Officer Warner called - they arrested him."


	82. Chapter 82

_Three Months Later_

Amy exchanged glances with Adam as the blond man put the car in park. They merely sat there in silence for a full moment before he finally spoke.

"You know you don't have to do this. I can just start the engine again and we can turn around and leave."

The redhead nodded.

"I know."

She started to unbuckle her seatbelt when she was suddenly startled. Stopping what she was doing, she reached down with both hands, pressing them to her belly, which, at seven months pregnant, had grown quite large.

"What's the matter?" Adam asked, his green eyes filling with alarm.

"Nothing," Amy said, a small smile quirking at her lips. "It's just that the baby is kicking."

"Oh." The tall blond man was unbelievably relieved. Months earlier, after all the incredible stress his wife had been under, the doctor had told her there was a chance she could lose the baby. That, of course, had been during the trying time they'd had thanks to Matt Hardy, and the bitter bastard kidnapping Mandy. It had been a damn close call, and Amy had of course been bedridden for some time. Now, with what the redhead was insisting on doing, Adam had feared she could have been having a relapse. After all, they were right outside the prison at which Hardy had been sent three months earlier.

"So restless and lively..." Amy said, both hands still on her stomach. She had a bright smile on her face as she looked up to meet his eyes. She was glowing, and the blond man thought he had never seen her look more radiant than she did at that very moment. He felt his heart burst with love.

"... Just like Mandy." The lovely smile grew even brighter. "Feel it." She took one of his hands as he outstretched it to her, and pressed it to her belly.

Adam kept his intense gaze on her sparkling hazel eyes as he felt his child moving around inside of her. It was amazing, like a miracle. He had always been sorry to have missed out on these moments when Amy had been pregnant with Mandy... This was truly amazing.

"I love you," the blond man said. His green orbs were still fixed on her, drinking in the ethereal beauty of her.

Amy smiled again, actually blushing for a beat. She was positively beaming.

"I love you, too."

He leaned in closer and kissed her, a muffled sigh escaping him as he felt her free hand go up and into his hair. It went on for a few moments until she pulled back, although he tried to linger.

"Mmm..." He made a deep sound from his throat, as though miserable that she had pulled her lips away from his.

"Come on, let's go in there," Amy said, hooking a thumb over her shoulder. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get back home - to Mandy."

The tall blond man nodded, sighing with resignation. He undid his seatbelt and pulled the key from the ignition.

"You're right. Okay, let's do it."

They left the car, and Adam rushed over to the passenger's side to help the pregnant redhead out. Usually, she would be stubborn and get up on her own and even insist on it, but this time, she smiled as she gratefully took hold of her husband's hand.

Like Mandy had been, this baby was big - at seven months, she looked damn near term. They didn't even know the sex yet, as they wanted to be surprised. However, Amy secretly hoped for a boy this time... A little boy who would look just like his incredible, handsome, sweet father - it took her breath away just thinking about this. She tended to think that Adam wanted another girl, although he had stated he didn't care what sex the baby was as long as it was healthy.

They held hands on the way into the building, and Amy knew she was nervous. Still, she felt as though she had to speak to Matt, get answers from him, and something more. Adam, of course, had nothing to say to his former friend. He was only there for _her_, to be there for her and to give her moral support. And he had absolutely refused to let her come here alone.

Moments later, they were inside the facilities, and a guard questioned them. Adam did the honors and explained their presence, and their reason for coming.

Shortly after, they were brought to the closed door of a room where people visited inmates. Because Matt had been involved in a kidnapping rather than a violent crime such as murder or rape, there were no windows in this room to separate prisoners from civilians. Yet, Amy felt an oddness come over her, as though Matt could very well attack Adam. It wouldn't be anything new for the two of them to get into a physical altercation.

It didn't matter much, as, a moment later, the tall blond man leaned over and whispered to her.

"I'll be right out here." His green eyes looked very serious, and she knew what he was thinking - that maybe he should accompany her inside after all, despite the armed guards who would be present to monitor the visits.

"Okay." She gave his hand a squeeze before walking into the room.

In an instant, she spotted Matt over at a table in the far corner. He was wearing standard issue prison garb, his hands folded neatly on the table before him. She was actually surprised to see no trace of malice on his face as he spotted her.

She sat down across from him, her large stomach making the normally simple act slightly difficult.

"Hello, Matt."

"Hi," he replied, looking her over. "Wow, look at you - you're quite big now."

Despite herself, the redhead smiled.

"Yeah... I'm carrying another big baby." She grew serious afterward as her thoughts shifted to her other child.

"You know why I'm here," she said, and he nodded, albeit resignedly. "Why did you do it, Matt? Why did you take Mandy?"

The dark-haired man sighed and raised his gaze heavenward. The truth was, he was embarrassed by what he'd done. He hadn't been thinking clearly and had merely acted.

"Truthfully? I knew that would be the best way to hurt you - and _him_."

Amy eyed him silently, her face grave as she absorbed his answer, which was something she'd known all along. Of course taking Mandy was the easiest way to hurt her, to hurt Adam.

"You hurt my little girl, too, you know. You took her away from us and everything she knew. She was so terrified, Matt. And during Christmas?" The question was rhetorical, and she shook her head.

Matt nodded and lowered his gaze, meeting her eyes for the tiniest fraction before shifting them lower still. She could easily tell he was filled with shame.

"Yeah, I know. And uh... I'm really sorry about it, Amy. I truly am."

"Okay." She merely eyed him, her heart pounding like mad. She was so nervous, but she knew she had to say it. "I forgive you."

Matt stared at her with surprise. Finally, he managed to smile, and then he posed the question on his mind. "So... When's your baby due?"

The redhead smiled and placed a hand on her bulging stomach.

"End of May," she replied.

"Wow, that's just two more months... You must be excited."

She nodded.

"Yeah, I am."

"Well, I wish you all the best," he said, and for the first time in many months, Amy could see in his face that he was being genuine.

She stayed there to talk with him for awhile longer before leaving and heading back to Adam.

The blond man's face was full of question marks as she approached him.

"Everything okay?"

"Everything's fine."

Adam hugged her, and she smiled and wrapped her arms around him.


	83. Chapter 83

_Eight Weeks Later_

Amy shifted uncomfortably in the bed. Try as she might, she couldn't position herself in any way that felt good - but at nine months pregnant, that was to be expected.

The redhead let out a soft groan of frustration as she turned from her side to her back, which seemed to be the least uncomfortable position for her these days. She heard Adam sigh beside her and felt his strong arm suddenly on her, his warm breath soft as it gently hit her cheek. He tenderly kissed her, his large hand stroking her much larger belly.

"Can't sleep again, baby?"

Amy sighed deeply.

"Nope... I just want this baby out of me already," she said.

"Well, you're due in a couple more days, but if you want to hurry it along..." His hand snaked up from her stomach to one of her fuller-than-usual breasts.

She laughed, knowing exactly what he was getting at. Just the other day, they'd seen the episode of _Friends_ in which Rachel was a week overdue to give birth and she'd wanted Ross to have sex with her to induce labor.

"Well, I'm not overdue sweetie," she chided, gently caressing his hand. "But you're so sweet... I love you."

"I love you, too, Ames." Adam grinned in the darkness, his lips finding his wife's as he lowered his hand to her stomach again. He could hardly believe he was about to become a father again in the next few short days. That fact just about took his breath away, and he could not wait. He was filled with anticipation over the child's arrival. He and Amy had of course still not inquired about the sex, as they'd agreed they wanted to be surprised.

Adam broke the kiss a moment later, a soft smile playing at his lips as he gazed at her in the darkness. He caressed her cheek ever so gently, marveling at how much love he held for this woman. She was his world, his everything. And he counted his blessings every day that somehow, after six years of being apart, she had been brought back into his life.

"You know what?" the redhead asked, suddenly breaking the sweet, comfortable silence between them.

"What?"

"I'm having the most incredible craving for some ice cream."

The blond man laughed heartily. My God, but she was simply adorable. He sat up and got up out of bed, coming over to her side to give her an assist.

"In that case, let's get you some."

She smiled up at him appreciatively, taking his hand, and with effort, got up with his tender loving help. They headed to the kitchen, listening for any sign of Mandy being awake. There was none, so they knew the little girl was still sleeping.

Once in the kitchen, Adam made a beeline for the cupboard to retrieve a bowl in which to put his wife's ice cream. However, Amy stood rooted to her spot just past the doorway, a small exclamation escaping her.

The Canadian was alarmed as he turned back to face her, noting the look of shock on her lovely face.

"What?!"

"My water just broke..."

Adam's green eyes widened in alarm, and he put the bowl down on the counter, completely forgetting about Amy's dessert. Frantically, he stepped over to her, not quite knowing even what to do.

"Oh, God... Are... Are you all right?" he asked. He glanced down at the small puddle beneath her, realizing he had stepped in it. He ignored that and snapped his head back up to examine her face. "We've gotta get you to the hospital!"

The redhead smiled easily, amused by her husband's reaction. He'd missed this the first time, when she'd had Mandy, but this was just adorable to her. He was like the typical, stereotypical nervous wreck of an expectant father. It was quite endearing.

"Sweetie, it's okay," she said, reaching one hand up to his cheek. "We have some time... I haven't even started having contractions yet."

The tall blond man cringed.

"Oh, God," he moaned. "Are those really painful for you?" He touched her cheek, caressing the soft skin, his gaze full of sympathy. "Is it really bad?"

The redhead was touched. How in the world had she ever managed to get herself the kindest, sweetest, most sensitive man?

"They can hurt a lot," she replied. "But it's really not that bad." She winked at him, then pulled her hand away and headed to the table.

Adam stood there and watched after her incredulously. What was she doing? And then, with some effort, she lowered herself into a chair.

"Ames? I have to take you to the hospital!"

"In a little while... I'd still love some ice cream." She looked up at him, a perfectly calm yet anticipatory expression on her pretty face.

The blond man nervously tore at his long hair. He could hardly believe what he'd just heard, and it felt so surreal, as though he were really still asleep and dreaming. Yet, he wasn't. He finally nodded as he came to his senses.

"Okay... If it's ice cream you want, it's ice cream you will get."

Several minutes later, as they sat there at the table, Amy spooning her frozen treat with delight, Adam watching her and feeling as though he could throw up from nerves, it happened... The redhead suddenly dropped the spoon into the bowl and sat back, her hands flying to her belly.

"Oh..." She winced, her eyes squeezing shut as the contraction hit her.

The Canadian's eyes widened.

"Amy?"

"I'm okay," she said, nodding. "But I think it's time... That was actually my second contraction in the last few minutes."

"Holy shit..." He sprang up for the phone, as he had to call Jay and Trish, who had agreed to watch Mandy when they had to go to the hospital for the baby's birth.


	84. Chapter 84

**_A/N: This fic is very close to being finished up here, and I just wanted to thank RemainNameless, skittles cena, Shinna, cerenity, forever changed, CenasNakedInMyBedWithMe, Rose Atlee, Adam's Eve, Red-Ice Blue-Fire, Thiala, DanielleCena1981, xlinziex, Capture068, RedemptionOfHope, Demon Spawn, xxxxcrazychickxxxx, thexgreatxtriplexc and DRUMMER512 for all the reviews! You guys rock! Hope you've enjoyed the story - three chapters remain. ;)_**

Adam tried to keep his wits about him as they entered the hospital.

"My wife is in labor!" he shouted to the people at the reception desk. He gestured to and looked at her, as Amy was directly at his side, already doing her Lamaze breathing as she clung onto the blond man.

"Yes, I can see that," the woman at the desk said after a quick survey of the redhead. "Name?"

"Copeland - Adam Copeland."

"Baby, she meant _me_," the pregnant woman said.

"Oh, right... Sorry. I'm just nervous. Amy Copeland," the blond man said. He was breathing heavily himself, and was damn near hyperventilation, it seemed.

The woman at the desk smiled easily.

"Relax, Mr. Copeland... Everything will be fine. I take it this is your first child?"

Adam shook his head as the lady picked up the receiver of the phone before her.

"Actually, no - we have a seven-year-old daughter, but I wasn't there for her birth... Long story." Inwardly, he thought, '_Okay, I'm babbling... Put a lid on it, Adam_!'

"It's all right... A lot of expectant fathers are nervous." The receptionist dialed for an orderly to bring a wheelchair so Amy could be brought to a room.

The tall blond man turned to his wife, his face full of concern, worry and something else she couldn't quite name.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry I'm acting like this... You're about to give birth and I'm all thumbs, so to speak."

"Nonsense," Amy protested. She raised one hand and gently but firmly gripping him by his strong jaw. Their eyes met directly as she spoke again. "Adam Joseph Copeland, you are so incredibly sweet and kind and caring - and I couldn't ask for a better man than you. I don't know what I ever did in my life to deserve such a treasure, but I got it. You are the best husband in the entire galaxy, and I love you so much."

The blond man was so choked up, he was actually speechless. He swallowed hard as he felt the tears welling up in his eyes. The redhead placed her hand in his hair, a soft smile on her face as she stood on her toes to kiss him. Halfway through, she broke it, her hand clutching her belly, a moan escaping her.

"Not another contraction?"

Amy nodded, her face contorted with the pain, eyes closed as she endured it. The contractions were coming more frequently, and she knew the baby wasn't going to wait much longer. He or she was definitely a feisty one, and the labor seemed to be progressing much faster than what she'd gone through with Mandy.

The woman at the reception desk watched the young couple with wonder.

"You can take a seat while you're waiting," she offered.

Amy shook her head frantically as the contraction came to an end.

"Believe it or not, I'd rather stand right now - until I can actually lay down."

Adam didn't quite understand that one, but he wasn't going to force the redhead to do anything she didn't want to do. After all, she was about to give birth to his child.

He couldn't believe how nervous he felt. He hoped he would be okay to coach her in the delivery room. It absolutely blew him away when he recalled her telling him that she had done this alone with Mandy. It tore him up just thinking about it, but it wasn't the case this time... And if they decided to have another baby sometime in the future, it would never be the case again.

Before too long, an orderly appeared with a wheelchair to bring Amy to a room.

Moments later, as the redhead laid on her back on the bed, trying to control her breathing, the tall blond man remained at her side. Adam grasped her hand gently, and Amy held fast to it, her gaze on him. Somehow, he seemed suddenly so much calmer.

"Are you okay?"

The Canadian was taken aback and eyed his wife with wonder.

"I should be asking _you_ that, Ames... I'm fine."

She smiled. He was really so very sweet.

"You don't seem nervous anymore... Suddenly, you're so calm."

Adam cocked his head as a smile came to his face.

"I actually am," he said. "But I'm excited, too. In a little while we're going to have a brand new little baby." He shook his head, his eyes taking on a faraway look. A sigh left his lips before he spoke again. "It's just... Well, it's all so amazing."

Amy smiled as she felt tears in her eyes. This was exactly what she'd wished they'd been able to share during Amanda's birth.

"_You're_ amazing," she said in a choked up voice. "I love you."

"I love you," Adam said, and he lowered his head to kiss her.

"Sorry to interrupt," a voice suddenly spoke in the room. Adam raised his head, and they saw a smiling nurse. "Time to see how things are going."

The woman examined Amy as the blond man stood back, and she nodded and spoke again once done.

"Well, looks like it's time. Baby's crowning and you're at ten centimeters. It's time to rock n' roll."

Adam couldn't help but chuckle at the last sentence. He liked this nurse... And he was even more excited as he was about to become a father for the second time.


	85. Chapter 85

"You're doing just fine, baby."

Amy tried to control her breathing so as to not hyperventilate as Adam spoke so sweetly and encouragingly to her. They were in the birthing room at the hospital, and she was propped up in a bed, struggling to give birth to their second child.

Beads of perspiration dotted her forehead. She couldn't believe how relatively easy it had been giving birth to Mandy. In contrast, this baby was definitely a bit larger than her sweet daughter had been, though the labor was shorter. She actually had fears that something ominous was going to happen... The least of those was that she would have to have a Caesarian section. The worst case scenario that kept playing out in her head and utterly terrified her was that she would give birth and the baby would be stillborn. That would be a nightmare for both of them.

She knew she had to get hold of herself and stop freaking herself out, especially at a time like this, when she should remain calm. Besides, her fears were completly irrational, as she'd been feeling the baby kick and move around like crazy inside of her.

"Amy," the doctor spoke softly, "you're going to have to give another push. This baby really wants to come out and meet his or her parents!"

The exhausted redhead shifted her hazel eyes up, meeting the green of the man she loved. He gave her a smile and squeezed her hand encouragingly.

She obliged and pushed again, the pain tearing through her. She cried out at the intensity of it, unable to remember it hurting anywhere near as much when she'd had Amanda. Then again, it had been seven years since she'd given birth to her... Yet, at the same time, she felt as though she would never forget the way that had felt.

"Very good... I see the head." The physician looked up to meet her eyes and then those of her husband and smiled.

Adam couldn't help the small smile that touched his own lips. He knew this was extremely difficult for Amy, but at the same time, this was a wonderful, amazing experience for him. In probably only minutes, their new child would be here, ready for all the love and care with which they would shower her or him.

The redhead let out a slightly mewling cry as another bout of pain gripped her. She wanted - _needed_ - to push again.

"Another push, Amy."

She was relieved that the obstetrician had apparently read her mind. She took a deep breath and went for it again. All the while, Adam was right there with her, holding her hand and loving stroking her brow. Still more pain shot through the redhead's body as she pushed with all her might. Damn it, she needed this baby out of her. She might have been five days early from her due date, but it was unmistakably time.

"Okay, you're doing great," the female doctor assured her. "I'm going to help you along now... Just one more push that will help me to help you!"

Amy raised her gaze to Adam's, her expressing untelling to him. She looked a combination of things - exhausted, worried, anxious, excited. The tall blond man had no word to describe the mixture of emotions. He leaned down again to press a soft, quick kiss on her sweaty temple.

"I'm here, baby."

She squeezed her eyes tightly shut as she gave one final push. Stars shot from under her closed lids, and she felt the OB-GYN's hands reach inside of her, pulling at the baby as she pushed. And jeez... How much did this infant weigh?

Adam's green eyes were wide with amazement as the baby finally slipped completely out and the doctor held it in her arms.

"Oh, my God," he breathed. He'd gained a whole new appreciation for what women went through.

Amy's eyes were still closed, her breathing still somewhat fast. And then, she heard the crying - the baby's first cry.

"Congratulations - you have a beautiful, healthy baby boy!" the doctor exclaimed.

The blond Canadian laughed softly, happy. They had a son! He gazed down at his wife, her eyes opening slowly as she sought the child. Adam's heart nearly melted as the soft smile crossed her face.

"He weighs in at eleven pounds, five ounces."

"Wow, he's bigger than I was when I was born," Adam quipped. No wonder the redhead had had such a hard time.

Moments later, the baby was placed in the arms of his mother. Amy gazed at the little boy, whose crying suddenly ceased, and her eyes grew all misty. Adam was kneeling at the side of the bed, a bright smile on his face as he looked at their son.

"Ames... My god, he's beautiful!" He reached out and gently held one of the tiny hands. The baby gripped his pinky and drifted off to sleep.

"You know, this little guy needs a name," Amy said, her eyes still shining brightly with unshed tears as she looked up to meet Adam's happy green orbs. They'd talked about names, of course, but hadn't ever agreed on anything since they hadn't known the sex.

"Yeah, he does," the blond man agreed, glancing fondly at their son before shifting his gaze back to her.

Amy smiled as she gazed up at her husband.

"Here, take him," she said softly. "Hold your son."

The tall blond man was speechless with emotion as he leaned over to meet her halfway as she handed the baby to him. Very gingerly, his breath held, he accepted the sleeping infant and cradled him in his arms. His eyes filled with tears.

The redhead felt the sharp, sweet pangs of love in her heart as she watched father and son. It was so beautiful, it took her breath away.

"We never did decide on a definite name," she suddenly said, returning to the topic at hand.

"I know," Adam said in a soft voice so as to not awaken the baby. A smile crossed his face. "Let's let Mandy name him."

The exhausted redhead gave him an odd look.

"Are you serious? Are you sure you want to give the responsibility of naming a baby to a seven-year-old?"

The tall blond man grinned. He looked lovingly from his son to his wife as he replied.

"Sure, why not? Mandy is a bright kid. I'm sure she'll come up with something good... If not, we'll change it." He winked, and Amy laughed.

"All right, you're on."


	86. Chapter 86

Mandy dropped the game control, abandoning the videogame she was playing with Trish. She ran to the window behind them, eyes wide as saucers as she spotted them outside.

"Mandy? Sweetie?" The blonde paused the game, dropping her own control on the carpeted floor and rose to follow the little girl. She exchanged glances with Jay, who was sitting on the couch and reading a book. Meeting her gaze, he placed the paperback facedown on the cushion and got up as well.

"Mommy and Daddy are home!" The child stared out the window with excitement. Her parents' car had just pulled up the drive, and sure enough, Adam got out of the driver's side.

Trish and Jay again exchanged glances and smiled as they grasped hands and stood behind Amanda.

Amy soon gingerly exited the car on the passengers' side. Before she could do a thing, the tall blond man was at her side and briefly put an arm around her, then tended to the backseat. A moment later, he had the baby out, along with the brand new carseat.

"Oh, my God!" Trish breathed with emotion. It was such a charming scene. She couldn't quite see the baby just yet, but that was of course about to change.

"Wow," Jay said in concurrence as he watched them head up the walk and to the door. Mandy raced to let them in, practically squealing in her excitement.

"Mommy! Daddy!" The child threw herself into Amy's arms as the redhead gingerly knelt to embrace her small daughter.

"Hi!" Trish exclaimed as she and Jay, who was right behind her, came over to greet their friends and get a gander at the new baby.

"Thanks for the homecoming!" Adam quipped with a chuckle.

They meandered over to the couch and sat down, Mandy standing between her parents and in front of them. Her eyes were large and inquisitive as she looked down at the baby.

"My God, how beautiful is he?" Trish murmured. She grabbed her boyfriend's hand as he reached out to her.

Amy was positively radiant and glowing. As Adam glanced over at her, he thought he'd never seen her look more beautiful than she did at that very moment.

"Mandy," the Canadian said as he turned his focus on his daughter, "this is your little brother." He held the newborn up, cradling him with the gentlest tenderness. The infant was sound asleep despite all the excitement.

The little girl's eyes grew as wide as saucers once again, and her mouth became a small 'O' as she uttered an exclamation.

"What's his name?"

The tall blond man turned toward his wife, and their eyes met and locked. Amy smiled softly, knowingly. He turned back to meet Amanda's hazel eyes.

"Well, here's the thing, kiddo - he doesn't have one yet. But that's where you come in. Your Mommy and I have a very big, very important job for you."

The child eyed him curiously.

"We want you to name the baby," he went on. "Do you think you're up to that?"

Mandy looked from her father to the redhead and then back again. Her little mind was working swiftly, and she nodded.

This time, it was Amy who spoke. She took gentle hold of their daughter's hand.

"Sweetie, if you don't want to name your baby brother, that's okay," she said. "We'll come up with something terrific for him." She pulled the girl into her embrace, realizing the child was speaking.

Holding Mandy back just enough to look into her eyes, Amy asked, "What was that, honey?"

Adam gazed at his daughter as well as he cradled the infant in his strong arms.

"I know what to name him," the little girl repeated.

"What?"

"Tommy."

The blond man felt a sense of recognition and smiled at the child. He remembered hearing that name some months back and realized it was fond to Mandy.

Amy turned to meet her husband's green eyes.

"Tommy, huh? Well, _Thomas_... And what are you grinning like that for, Adam Copeland?"

"The name," the blond man responded, looking at Mandy. He gave her a wink. "I know what it's all about."

The redhead shrugged one shoulder, glancing from her husband and daughter to Jay and Trish, who were also completely in the dark.

"Explain?"

"Well... That day - the day we got her back..." Adam grew serious upon those words, as he hated mentioning the unpleasantness of when Matt Hardy had had Amanda. "... Mandy apparently made a little friend at _Toys 'R Us_. Isn't that right, kiddo?"

The little girl nodded.

"And his name was Tommy." Adam smiled, though he was half sad over the fact that there was no way for them to get in touch with Tommy and his mother. The little boy had been a blessing, as he had befriended Mandy immediately after Hardy had so callously abandoned her.

Amy listened intently as the child elaborated.

"He had your action figure, Mommy! And I told him who you were and he didn't act mean and he believed me when I told him you were my Mommy. He said that was cool!"

A bright smile spread across the young woman's face. It was almost too precious, too hard to believe how children were sometimes.

"Tommy, huh? Well, I guess this little guy's got himself a name," she went on, reaching out gently to tickle her newborn son's chin. "Thomas Adam Copeland it is." She met her husband's loving gaze and winked.


	87. Chapter 87

**_A/N: Thanks to DRUMMER512 for reviewing the last few chapters! And thanks to ALL of you who took the time to read and review this story. :) Here now is the final chapter, and I hope you enjoy it. There's a sequel to this story, which I will start posting very soon._**

_Four Months Later_

Adam and Amy looked up simultanously at the sound of the doorbell ringing. The tall blond man winked knowingly, and his wife smiled. They both knew who the visitors were.

"I'll get it," Adam offered, and he stepped away from the crib and out of their baby son's room. He was in terrific spirits as he passed the glass door to the patio and backyard, catching a glimpse of Mandy playing with her "uncle" Jeff. The two had been tossing a frisbee around earlier and were now apparently engaged in a game of Hopscotch.

The tall blond man reached the front door, his smile beaming as he opened it. Jay and Trish stood close, holding hands and looking ecstatically happy.

"Hey, you two... Come on in!" He ushered his friends inside and closed the door.

"We've got big news!" the short-haired blond man declared.

"Oh?"

They all looked up at the sound of Amy's voice. She was carrying baby Tommy in her arms as she approached. The boy had just awakened, and he was alert and gurgling happily in his mother's loving arms. Adam couldn't help but watch the two of them with love brimming over in his heart. What a beautiful, perfect picture this was.

"Yeah," Trish said with a nod. She had a huge, brilliant white smile as she released Jay's hand to come close to her friend, her left hand snaking out to tickle the baby under his chin. And then, Amy instantly knew what their big news was all about.

"Why, Trish Stratus!" She directed her hazel eyes on a certain shiny object, then raised her gaze to her best friend's brown eyes, then to Jay's blue.

"Huh? I don't get it." Adam looked confused, still in the dark as he frowned. Apparently, he hadn't noticed. His best friend let out a laugh.

"Well, since he doesn't know what's going on, why don't you tell him," Jay said to Trish.

"With pleasure!" the little blonde cried. "Adam, Jay asked me to marry him last night!" She held her left hand up and out, displaying to him the beautiful, generous diamond on her ring finger. She was practically bursting.

"What? Well, congratulations!" Adam said, hugging first his best friend and then Trish.

"You guys, I'm so happy for you!" the redhead chimed in. She hugged each halfway, as she still held the infant in her arms. "Wait - you have to tell Jeff and Mandy, too."

"Jeff's here?" Trish asked.

"Yeah, I'm here," the young man's voice suddenly answered. He and the little girl had just stepped into the room through the glass door leading out to the patio. Amanda was right beside him but shot past as she saw Trish and Jay. "That kid is a killer," the colorful-headed Hardy said with a gesture. "She whooped me in Hopscotch!"

"Aunt Trish! Uncle Jay!" Mandy threw herself into the petite blonde's arms before rushing off for a hug from her father's best friend as well.

"Hey, kiddo!"

Jeff waved and nodded at his friends, and he was still slightly out of breath from playing with Mandy. "What's up, guys?"

"A lot, actually," Trish said. She held her hands behind her back, testing her friend. He seemed to be more than just a little perceptive, so she wanted to see if he could guess their news.

"Something up," he said, a brow cocking. He glanced from the blonde diva to Jay, then back again. "You're pregnant."

Trish let out a hearty laugh as her man's face abruptly went white. She shook her head as she turned her attention back on Jeff.

"Guess again."

"You're engaged," he said calmly, not voicing the words as a question.

"Yes!"

"Hey, that's great news!" the man said. "Congrats, guys." He swept Trish into a big hug before turning to the short-haired blond man. "You better treat her right, man," he said lightly after a hug, "or I'll be forced to kick your ass in the ring." He chased the warning with a wink.

Amy handed Trish the baby as Adam came over, putting his arm around her waist. Four months after Tommy's birth, the redhead had dropped all of her pregnancy weight. She had not yet returned to the ring but would do so after two more months.

Her life was so incredibly full, more so than she'd thought she could even dream just a year earlier. She had her dear, amazing friends, her cherished, sweet family... And him - her heart, her other half, her soulmate.

She'd known seven years earlier that Adam Copeland was special. Tears nearly filled her eyes as she gazed up at him. He was now playing with Mandy, letting her stand on his feet as she held onto his hands, and he walked her around that way. He met eyes with her and winked, and Amy laughed.

Everything was exactly the way it was supposed to be - and life couldn't be better.

_**END**_


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